Study in Romance
by Phantom Shyraz
Summary: [Prompt from Shana-Fujioka] Apparently the little black dress, makeup, and heels can hide everything from even the most knowledgeable Master of Disguise. Or could it be simply a case of overpowering perfume? KaiShin/ShinKai pairing
1. How it all began

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: The original prompt was from Shana-Fujioka, I kind of want to establish the background first before jumping straight into the scene. It was supposed to be a one/two-shot but turned out to be a multi-chapter thing. Although I dislike having to work on two fics at the same time (messes up with the writing and all) but they are very different in nature. I'm hoping it sounds like a RomCom, though I'm bad at comedy/humour (or so I'm told). I'm not going to tell you the original prompt (go look for it if you're curious) as it'll reveal too much of the story.

Enjoy~

* * *

 **Ch01: How it all began**

"Just a little bit more..."

Shinichi tries to keep still, to stop trying to run out of the bathroom screaming 'harassment' or 'molestation' as he felt the soft brush glide over his skin. He resisted the urge to lean away from the touch, not that there was anywhere else to lean away to seeing as he was practically boxed in the relatively cramped space of the bathroom.

'Why did I agree to this?' He moaned inside his head, 'I should have kept my mouth shut and my head down. But _No_ , I had to open my mouth. And it just so happens 'kaa-san was within hearing range…' Shinichi's internal rant continued along similar veins, dissecting his every action from the very beginning. This was the only way to keep his mind sufficiently occupied and to stop himself from fidgeting.

Shinichi's mind wandered back to a month or-so ago, the day when Haibara called him up.

 _"Kudo-kun," she addressed through the phone, no longer afraid of being overheard now that The Organisation has been all but disbanded and only lesser members of the notorious criminal group remained on the streets, "would you mind coming over to the Professor's place today?"_

 _"Something wrong?" Conan placed down the kiddy book he had been pretending to read, his focus now dialled into the young voice through the speakers._

 _"Nothing grievous I can assure you. Just wanted to test out a theory and I needed your presence." There was no sense of urgency in the voice, only mild seriousness and a hint of curiosity._

 _"I'll tell Ran I'll be staying the night at the Professor's then." He hopped down from his seat, stretching up his arms with the phone between his ear and shoulders. "Unless you need me for longer than a single night. Not that it matters much seeing as it's the holidays."_

 _"It depends really…" Hearing the scientist trail off on her sentence made Conan slightly apprehensive in making the journey._

 _"Anything in particular I should know beforehand?" He had a suspicion on what the scientist wanted to test but he did not want to have his hopes raised._

 _"Nothing detrimental."_

 _"Right..." Her reply added on evidence on what to expect. "I'll tell Ran now. See you in a bit."_

 _The call terminated without any greeting, though neither end had expected one._

 _"Ran-neechan!" Conan called into the girl's room. She, and many others, were still kept in the dark about Conan's identity. Although The Organisation is no longer a threat, the discovery of a drug being able to turn a teenager to a child was too much a risk for anyone with an iota of greed. He did not tell Ran the truth even when he knew there was very little harm in her knowing. She was too honest, too forgiving, and too understanding. Shinichi did not doubt Ran would be quick to forgive for the lies he told, for the indiscretions he took against her, and for causing her all the tears. It was himself he could not forgive, which was why he chose never to inform her of his time as Conan, even if he returned to his original age. It was something like trying to punish himself for her sake._

 _"What is it Conan-kun?" Ran's head peeked out from the doorway, she was all dressed up to the nines and looks to be in the process of putting on makeup._

 _"Are you going out in the afternoon?" Conan decided to ask first before giving telling her of his intentions for the rest of the weekend._

 _"Yes, I'm meeting with Sonoko and Kyogoku-san. One of his friends is in town and we're going to show him around." She stepped out of her room to face Conan fully._

 _"Is he someone I know?" He had to ask. He_ _ **had**_ _to know. But at the same time, he dreaded the answer. He could practically see the last link to his past, his history, cracking and disintegrating under all the lies._

 _"Not really. The first time I met him was from a tournament. I watched him compete..."_

 _Conan sensed there was more but he did not feel he would be up hearing about it._

 _"Then you should go have fun." It was an implicit blessing he, as Shinichi, was giving to Ran. Telling her to pursuit her own happiness._

 _Ran gave him a strange look, as though she could not believe he had said that. Shinichi wondered that perhaps she knew who he was all along. That she only kept her silence because she trusted Shinichi enough to tell her when the time is right. But there will never be a right time. Not now, not in the uncertain future. Which was why Conan, and Shinichi, decided it would ad best to let her go._

 _"Are you sure?" She asked for confirmation, hands gripping onto his small shoulders. It once again reminded Shinichi of the changed circumstances._

 _"Of course I am!" He gave the best smile he could manage, all adorned with sugary happiness. "I was just about to tell you I would be going over to the Professor's and stay for several nights!"_

 _The moment of silence intensified the tense atmosphere between the pair of mock siblings. Ran stared straight into his eyes, never weakening in its probe for falsities or pain. Conan saw how the edges of her mouth tensed just a fraction, felt the grip on his shoulders tighten. He was quite sure she was trying to urge him to take some form of action, to tell her the truth. But Conan just could not do as she hoped. Instead he let himself cocked his head in a somewhat innocent manner much like the boy his age would when faced with such a serious situation._

 _"Ran-neechan?"_

 _"It's nothing Conan-kun. Go grab your overnight bag, we can walk part way together." Her smile was strained as she waved him away. Conan did not bother to linger around and dashed off into the shared room._

 _When he came out of the bedroom, Ran was already waiting patiently by the doorway with her purse set on top of the shoe cupboard. Her red lipstick coupled with the light brush-on made Ran unlike the childhood friend Shinichi was used to seeing._ _ **His**_ _Ran was more down-to-earth, quite the opposite of this sophisticated version. Though her beauty remained unchanged._

" _Ran-neechan, you look...really pretty." Conan was sure his words were not enough to describe the beauty in front of him._

" _Thank you." She leaned down and kiss his forehead. He was surprised her lipstick did not transfer onto his skin when he rubbed the area with the back of his hand._

 _Conan looked perplexed, as he was not sure whether Ran was thanking him for the compliment or for something else entirely._

' _Though if she had always suspected my identity, she would probably be thanking me for my blessing…' And he was not sure how to feel about that. The only thing that he was certain was not feeling overly saddened by this prospect. Sure, there was a twang pulling at his heart at letting Ran go, but his logical mind had told him this was better than the not-seeing-each-other-but-still-attached phase they kept having._

" _Now don't stay up the whole night." Ran reminded when they came to the intersection they needed to part at, where Ran would head towards the station and Conan towards the Professor's place._

" _Of course!" He chirped, smiling at the brightness in her eyes._

" _And remember to call if...if there's an emergency or something ok?"_

 _It seems Ran also sensed something was different about his sudden sleep over._

" _I will." He nodded with a certain degree of seriousness, "I promise to let you know."_

 _She hugged him, tighter this time, not minding the creases that were forming in her dress._

 _When Conan arrived at the Professor's place, he was immediately towed to the basement lab by Haibara._

" _I thought you said you're not rushing anything." Conan followed in rushed steps, careful not to trip over his own feet as they all but ran down the dim staircase._

" _No, but I really do wanted to confirm something." She stayed cryptic in her words as she took out several syringe and a single vial of clear liquid. "Arm." She motioned for his cooperation, which he gave without complaint._

 _She took a syringe and extracted a decent amount of blood before injecting him with the clear liquid._

" _What's this then?" He had to ask as he watched with grim fascination, the liquid was slowly injected into his bloodstream so he had the right to ask about its effect._

" _Not sure, that is why I wanted to test it on you."_

" _Haibara! I know I said I'm willing to be a guinea pig but I don't mean it literally. I'm not a lab rat."_

 _She chuckled at his flustering but kept a firm hold on his wrist as he tries to extricate his arm from the sadistic scientist._

" _It won't hurt you or cause undue harm if that's what your concern. I needed to observe your reactions first."_

" _Does it include me trying to freak out at not knowing what this is?" He motioned towards the empty vial on the table._

" _Don't worry." She pulled out the needle and applied pressure onto the small puncture wound._

 _For the rest of the night, he had been paranoid and on the edge. Each time Haibara glanced at his direction, he nearly jumped and immediately froze. The next afternoon, twenty-four hours after the injection, Haibara pulled him back into the lab and extracted another syringe full of blood._

" _Are you sure you're not secretly a vampire?" He commented offhandedly, "I only just replenished my blood."_

" _You know, I might just hurt you." She diverted her attention from the syringe back to him, subtly saying she had a sharp object in her possession that was currently jabbed into his elbow._

" _Never mind, pretend I said nothing."_

 _Casually, he rubbed at the wound when the process was finished._

" _So, what were you expecting?"_

" _Not what I've observed for the past twenty-four hours that's for certain." She fiddled around with several clear containers, emptying the blood into one and picking up the pipette to extract some and relocating it to a small glass plate._

" _Now can you tell me what I've been injected with?"_

" _That," she motioned back at the vial that had been left unattended on the table since yesterday, "was the liquid version of the trial antidotes."_

" _What?! You just injected that directly into my bloodstream?"_

" _Yes, and there had been no changes from you. Much like what I've been suspecting. You've developed immunity toward that particular formula."_

 _Shinichi's shoulders sagged. He was immune to the chemical compound, which means there was no hope left. Funny how he just gave up on Ran and found out it was really for the best._

" _However," her voice startled Shinichi from his mild depression, "I have something else in the works, seeing as you did recover the original data, which I have been working on and finalising. The sole reason why I wanted you here this weekend."_

" _Then this means…?"_

" _Yes Kudo-kun, I do have an actual finished and perfected antidote. This test would only confirm for me the percentage of survival for you." She sighed, looking at the locked fridge to the side. He suspects that was where the antidote was stored. "However, I must say, it doesn't look too great."_

" _That's fine." He debated whether it really was worth going through the painful process of transformation now that Ran was pursuing her own happiness without him. However, it was still his life and he did not wish to go through the whole growing up process again. "Any confirmed time?"_

" _The sooner the better chances of your survival I'd say."_

" _I'll call 'kaa-san to let her know and we can collaborate the story. Conan will have to leave abruptly due to family emergencies. Thankfully 'kaa-san just came back because of that fit she had with 'tou-san flirting with a fan of his, so she should still be next door."_

 _Arranging everything took less effort than they suspected. All it needed was for Edogawa Fumiyo to show up at the agency where Kogoro had been sitting and drinking beer, having her ask for Conan's whereabouts in person. That very same night, Haibara handed him the antidote, which was in the form of a liquid injection instead of a pill._

" _A higher chance of you returning to your old self." She stated clinically. "I must warn you, the chance of success is still quite low, a meagre 48 percent."_

" _Any chance of fatality?" His morbid curiosity piqued._

" _50 percent. The remaining 2 percent have you staying as Conan for the rest of your entirely too-short life."_

" _Meaning?"_

" _Your body would ultimately fail you when you reached your actual age."_

 _His eye's widened at the declaration of possible death._

" _And you? Would the same happen to you?"_

" _Thankfully no because I haven't been using as many of those temporary antidotes to cause enough of the detrimental effect. However, that's offsetted by the effect that I will grow slower than normal."_

" _So this so-called poison is more like…"_

" _A fountain of youth." She sighed, her strength suddenly leaving her with the breath as she slumped against the nearby stool. "We're being both God and the Devil here, going against the flow of time."_

" _Thank goodness that not many know about our stint then." He looked at the implement in his hands._

" _You didn't tell FBI? Or anyone else?"_

" _Of course not!" He had been pressured into telling but careful wording had made the FBI back off his case. Though Akai Shuuichi probably knows something but no words were exchanged between the agent and himself regarding the issue, so he could assume that the agent was not too bothered by his predicament. Shinichi suspects it was the same with Bourbon. He hoped the two would not confront him any time soon. The only person he hinted towards was Takagi but that was to uphold his promise to the man. "The number of people in the actual know is still the same."_

" _Good, let's have it that way." She seemed relieved. "Though I'm surprised you didn't tell Mouri-chan."_

" _She's better off not knowing…" Turning the capped syringe in his hand, he carefully pocketed it back in his jacket. He would be taking it back in the safety of his own home._

" _Then I don't need to tell you that you should pace Kudo Shinichi's return?" She was apparently suitably surprised by his statement but hid her reaction well. Shinichi did not blame her seeing as the whole world had thought Ran and himself would eventually end up together._

 _"Who do you take me for?"_

 _"A lovestruck idiot that's what. Why the change of heart?" There was definitely more concern lacing her voice than curiosity._

 _"It's not fair on her, she waited for so long for Shinichi's return but the person coming back to her will be different from the person she remembered. Also..." He left out his own insecurities about not living up to the expectations and his self imposed punishment unsaid. "It's better this way. If your calculations are correct, I'm more likely to end up dead."_

 _He left several written notes with Haibara to hand over to the Detective Boys, left a voice message on Ran's phone because she did not pick up during his call. When all his loose ends were tidied up, he went back to the Kudo Manor using the underground passage. His mother was just tidying his room when he entered._

 _"Shin-chan." She enveloped him in a tight hug. "Are you absolutely sure?"_

 _"Either way, 'kaa-san, Edogawa Conan didn't have long to live. Why not let me have it my way." He returned the hug with the same amount of conviction as his mother, though his short arms barely managed to wrap around her neck._

 _"Your father said don't die." He wondered how that particular conversation went with his parents. His mother_ had _been angry when she left for Japan. To suddenly call his father and inform him Shinichi was likely to die, it was a wonder his father did not immediately fly in._

 _"I'm in the mind to stay positive but..." he trailed off once more before gathering the resolve to ask. "Did Haibara tell you?"_

 _She nodded, her arms tightening around him._

 _"Then..." Shinichi was not sure whether he should say goodbye at this instance or not. But one thing is for sure, he did not want his mother here inside the house during his transformation. "Maybe you should leave the place for an hour or so. You know, just that, it'll be quite disturbing..."_

 _"But Shin-chan," she started her protest but the determined look from him must have meant something to her. "Alright, but only_ _ **ONE**_ _hour." She huffed as she shuffled out of the room._

 _Shinichi kept his ears trained for the front door opening and before clicking close. He waited for a full ten minutes before actually settling on the bed and pulling out the syringe from his pocket. It felt ominous even for something of such a size. Not wanting to give himself any time to think, he quickly shed his clothing and took the needle to his elbow. He watched as he plunged the syringe, emptying the liquid in a quick motion. Not a second after he pulled the needle out, Shinichi felt heat. Followed immediately by stinging pain along his spine. His joints ached and his bones burned. He tries to muffle out his screams of pain with his pillow. The transformation was more intense than before. He could feel his muscles stretch to accommodate for the lengthening bone. Each of his nerve ending felt as though it was on fire. At one point, he felt his body arched as though to stretch out the skin._

 _Through the haze of pain, a stray thought drifted through his mind._

' _I think I missed telling someone about this…' In the midst of the pain, his brain was still trying to work out who he forgot to inform. He messaged Hattori, left Ran a voice message, written notes for the children, that should have been all of Conan's friends. As another wave of pain hit, Shinichi accidentally hit the bedside lamp, which shattered on the floor with a resounding crash. His mind then drifted between bouts of heat and pain to the sensation of ice. His thoughts becoming incoherent as it tries to ground itself to something other than the pain. 'Wait, isn't it that thief's heist tonight? The one I had intended to go?' He let out another scream as the heat returned to burning his every fibre of being. 'Why is the transformation taking so long.' He tries to gulp in more air as he curled up on the bed, wondering if he was really going to die that moment._

 _The pain lasted for what seems like an eternity, to the point where Shinichi passed out._

Shinichi had to shudders at the memories of his final transformation. He still has phantom pains just thinking about it. It was that traumatic.

"Shin-chan, don't move." His mother warned as she applied lipstick on his lips.

'Why did I say I was bored? Being stuck inside the house is better than being in _this_ predicament.' Shinichi realised how suspicious it would seem if Conan queenly disappear for Shinichi to immediately come back to Beika, hence the need for him to stay hidden for at least a few months, or until it felt natural for Shinichi to be appearing. They figured that since it was nearing the end of the holidays, they might wait until the start of the new school term for him to come back. Which means Shinichi was not allowed out of the house until at least the end of next week. He had been patient of course, but having read nearly the whole library and have finished all his missed school work, there was nothing else to occupy his time. His parents had stayed for the whole duration since he woke up, to keep him company, but even they were not able to alleviate his boredom. To which his mother suggested attending that dinner party she had been invited to.

"If you keep moving, I won't be able to draw the lip line." She tapped the lip pencil on the tip of his nose to remind him who was in control. "Thankfully, you've inherited my bone structure, edging on the delicate side, so you won't need a silicon mask or heavy reconstruction."

A few more strokes with the pencil, she finally pronounced his disguise complete and let him look into the mirror. He nearly could not recognise himself. Gone were the more angular cheeks and jaw, in its place were something softer but still quite defined. His eyes remained the same shade of clear blue, reminisce of the deep sea, but was bordered with dark eyeliner making his eyes larger than normal. The pale shade of silver and purple coloured his eyelids, complimenting his eye and bringing out the hidden sparkle.

"Here." His mother handed him the choker the Professor repurposed from its previous owner, namely one Okiya Subaru a.k.a. Akai Shuichi. "I made sure the dress would go with the accessory." She handed him a bunch of fabric, which he assumed to be a one piece dress. Though, by the amount of fabric now in his arms, Shinichi had a feeling it would be quite revealing.

"You do know I don't have the body type for something like this right?" He reminded his mother of his actual gender despite his makeup making him looking more feminine.

"Of course Shin-chan, which is why we also have these. I knew it would come in handy." She pulled out a box and pushed it into his arms. "Make sure you put on **everything**."

Once the bathroom door shut with a click, Shinichi opened the lid. He could not stop the blush from forming and growing to exponential proportions, surpassing the blush-on currently painted on his cheeks. He was speechless, mouth opening and closing like a fish gulping in water.

Lying innocently in the paper box were black lacey garments. Shinichi dangled the first piece between his forefinger and thumb, holding it away from him like it was contaminated. He could see _additions_ were added to specific parts, extra padding to make the fabric stiffer and to give the wearer the required shape. The second piece was just as lacey, just as revealing, and not leaving much to the imagination. It looked uncomfortable enough and Shinichi had to once again question whether he wanted to go through with the whole ordeal just to alleviate his boredom.

"Shin-chan, you ok in there? Do you need help?"

"NO! No, definitely not." And there goes his choice of being able to bail out. Taking a deep breath, Shinichi bravely discarded the robe he had been wearing and proceeded to dress himself.

 **-TBC-**


	2. Of bright lights, vase, and flowers

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: This is actually part of the response to the prompt. From this point on, the fic might be a bit jumpy between POVs. I try to keep it to a single POV per chapter. I suggest you read this and the next chapter together as it should make more sense. Also, probably poor flirting here. I think my search history would raise a few eyebrows now...what with me browsing for cheesy pick-up lines and looking at a WikiHow page on "How to Flirt"...

* * *

 **Ch02: Of bright lights, vase, and flowers**

Kaito stared boredly at the bowl of fruit punch before him. Tonight was a night of full moon, one that he had planned a heist on. Yet, he was not at his heist location. Here he was, standing in some movie star party because said movie star host somehow _received_ a KID notice that he did not send. Not to mention rubies were never his targets to begin with. No, his intended target was a nicely cut sapphire, of a decidedly large carat, set artistically into a necklace. The atrocity being displayed on the dais in the room, that _ruby_ if he could even call it that, was dull, lacking in transparency, and was set into a vase of all things.

'Well, at least the note was written in such a way that KID could carry out the heist at the intended target.' And carry out the heist he did (or will do as the case may be). For all the preparation work had been done beforehand.

He managed to coordinate with Jii and instructed him to set of the various traps he laid around the house the sapphire belonged to. Of course, KID did send a notice to the old man owning the sapphire, but it seems said old man never intended to tell the police. Further enquiry revealed the son of the old man had wanted to take the sapphire for himself. Said son was also on very bad terms with the old man, such that the old man would rather KID steal the sapphire away than let the son have it. As it turns out, when KID went to relieve the old man of the necklace yesterday night and exchange it for the dummy piece he had prepared, without anyone noticing, there was also a note attached on the necklace telling him to "Donate to charity after you've finished. I don't want that greedy son to have it." KID would follow the old man's wishes, even let the people of his intended charity know that it was from the old man (he figured what better charity than one that takes care of ill-fated children, talk about irony). Now, all Kaito had to do was wait for the time. When the traps would be activated, and this was more of a precaution in case the old man had told someone and KID will have to give a performance somehow, in the old man's home and Jii would take on the role of a panicky old man to call up the police and inform him of the sudden appearance of KID at his place. Then, there would be the imminent video call from the location of the actual KID's heist to both Nakamori-keibu and Hakuba, stating that KID missed his police and detective and hoped they would be joining him at the next heist. The video had been carefully crafted and edited to look like it was shot in real-time. Jii did a wonderful job if Kaito could say so himself.

Kaito chanced a glance at Hakuba, who had been keeping a hawk-like eye on him ever since they arrived at the movie star party. Aoko, who had been trying to engage the detective in an animated conversation, was standing just a little bit too close for Kaito's liking. Aoko had admitted, in earlier conversations, that she finds Hakuba more amiable than Kaito makes him out to be. She thinks Kaito was harsh on the detective because he was jealous.

 _"Kaito's just jealous." Aoko stated outright. "Kaito doesn't approve of Hakuba-kun because Kaito thinks Aoko is paying too much attention to Hakuba-kun."_

 _"I AM NOT!" Kaito all but nearly tripped over the dining room chair as he crossed the kitchens, holding onto the tray of tea and biscuits. "Why would I be jealous of that detective?" He set the tray down none so gently, several drops of the hot liquid fell onto the tray._

 _"Because Kaito doesn't approve of Aoko choosing Hakuba-kun over Kaito." Aoko whispered softly, taking the pink coloured cups and cradled it in her hands. She stared intently into the dark liquid. "Kaito hasn't been spending much time with Aoko, so Aoko spend more time with Hakuba-kun instead…"_

 _"Aoko, I didn't...I mean I never wanted you to feel lonely…" Kaito had been too busy with his KID research that he had neglected his childhood friend. No wonder Aoko took solace in the blond detective's company. "Look, maybe we can spend more time together now?" Though Kaito could not be sure if he truly can spend more time. There were several travelling jewelry exhibitions to the area in the next few months and he had a lot of planning and research to do. Add to that the amount of homework from school and the revision for upcoming tests, Kaito had his plate pretty full._

 _"It's fine Kaito, Hakuba-kun is good company. He promised to bring Aoko to Tropical Land this weekend seeing as we've just started our holidays." The face Kaito was given looked to be a cross between pain, regret, and somewhat content. It was as though she had expected Kaito to come with her._

 _"Is that...Is he...Are you going on a date with him?" Kaito was not sure what to think. This was just too much. **He** was supposed to be the one taking Aoko out on a romantic date. **He** was the one who was supposed to keep her company. And yet, **he** was also the one who neglected her need lately, that **he** was the one to take her for granted. Now, he **lost** her to the single person Kaito finds most irritating and annoying._

 _Aoko nodded shyly, eyes evading Kaito's own._

 _"Then...you two…?_

 _"It's not official yet. Hakuba-kun hasn't confessed. Neither has Aoko. Aoko thinks now would be a bad time…"_

 _Kaito could kind of understand why. With the upcoming final year of school, it would be difficult to juggle a love life with school pressures for a normal teenager. He should know seeing as he was a master at multi-tasking and even he found it difficult to juggle two sets of lives, hence losing Aoko to a_ detective _of all people. However, Kaito's internal struggles continue as he tries to reconcile the thought of Aoko being with Hakuba. On second thought, they would be good together. Kaito knew Hakuba would never stand Aoko up, nor would he favour doing his own thing and neglect Aoko. Hakuba was a perfectionist to a fault, as evidenced by his need to keep time to the millisecond. It was one of Hakuba's more annoying yet tolerable qualities._

 _"Kaito?" Her worried voice made Kaito actually look at her. He realised he does treasure her, he loves her but is he_ in love _with her or was this simply because she is one of the few females close to him that he thinks what he feels is love._

 _"Aoko, are you...happy...with him?" If Aoko replies positively, then Kaito has no choice but to let go. He would not go against Aoko's wishes as he had always wanted to keep his childhood friend happy. 'Has she ever been more than just a childhood friend for me?' He questions himself as he waited for her answer._

 _"Hakuba-kun keeps Aoko happy."_

 _And there, she admitted to it. She finds him to be a good match. She might not have said it in the exact words, but she was considering him to be boyfriend material. Unlike Kaito, who had someone been relegated to 'childhood friend' and 'neighbour' with a decent amount of 'pseudo-brother' thrown into the mix._

 _Sighing, Kaito has no choice but the accept her decision. "What is it you've come over for then?" Kaito tries to redirect the conversation back to a safer topic. He would have to mope in the comfort of his own bedroom, or the KID room, once she returns next door. He needed to vent out the sadness that seems to be tainting his heart by the second, but it was not so much as a stinging pain but more of a dull ache._

 _"Oh right! Aoko's father just informed Aoko that KID would be holding a heist next weekend and Aoko's father wanted to see if Kaito was free to help out."_

 _Kaito had to hold himself at check to stop from immediately responding with a 'yes' just to stop any suspicions before they were formed. It was just his luck that he had yet to send out his own heist note, which was already written and tucked securely inside the KID room waiting to be delivered by his doves, and this fake KID heist coincides with his own heist. He just hoped he could salvage something from this, otherwise the fake KID would certainly feel his ire._

 _"I'm not sure Aoko...I mean I have a lot of homework to catch up on…" He tries to make up a plausible excuse._

 _"But...Aoko would also be attending the heist and Aoko wanted someone to stand with when Hakuba-kun is off chasing KID. Aoko's father would already be chasing after him and Aoko doesn't want to be standing and waiting alone for them…" The sadness in her voice sent another pang in Kaito's chest._

 _Rubbing at his hair, and making it a further mess than it is, Kaito agreed. Aoko instantly brightened up at the prospect. She quickly gave him a brief idea of the time and location, stating her father would be picking them up. Hakuba, she mentioned on the offhand, would be meeting with them on site._

He had wondered what made the movie star allow three teens and a bunch of police enter the party. Of course, the detectives were all casually clothed, so as to not disturb the atmosphere of the party. However, when Kaito approached their host, it seemed the host had recognised his surname and shook his hand enthusiastically. Apparently, the host was a great fan of his father's and wanted to know whether Kaito would be kind (and skillful) enough to do a short skit as entertainment for the evening. Not wanting to disappoint, Kaito took the the stage just minutes ago, the stage being at the very center of the room, and literally pulled out several of his doves from a nearby vase, which caught the attention of various guests littered around the room. He had limited supplies, so there were no large scale productions. He did rain confetti, changed several wardrobes (mainly Hakuba's and several of the casual clothed officers but he also had been nice enough to change them back to their original outfits so not to disturb the ambiance of the party), and made a few of the nearby pieces of decoration dance to the beat of the music. His performance was well received and he had several others wondering if he could do a show at their own parties. Now, he had several appointments, several more potential fans (or customers depending how he looked at it), and a stack of name cards tucked away in his pocket.

'Not a bad evening then I supposed. Could have been worse.' He looked back at the spread of food to the side of the punch. Mostly savoury finger food on this particular table. 'But I could do with something nice, perhaps some chocolate cake, right about now.' He looked around to the other locations where small buffet tables had been set up strategically to allow for groups of guests to congregate.

Just as he turned from the punch bowl, with a filled cup, his eyes laid on the most perfect, most alluring image in front of him. The lady stood casually, with a critical eye on the drink and food spread. Her long black hair laid just on the bare shoulders of the one-piece dress finishing above the knee. The makeup was light, bringing out the natural beauty underneath. And those bright eyes, they were more radiant than any jewel Kaito has ever laid eyes upon. Kaito's eyes roamed from the face to the body. She was not shapely by any means, her dress hid much of her slender figure. However, the lady moved with a grace not often seen these days, and it was this that drew Kaito to her. When she reached out for a nearby cup to pour herself a drink, Kaito offered his own service.

"Allow me miss." He stilled her gloved hand, those white gloves with cuffs ending just at the wrist, framing the structure like petals of a flower.

"Um…" The single syllable was like the twinkling of bells under the soft wind. It held a melodious tone to it that Kaito could never dream a sound as such existed.

Not waiting for a reply, he poured the liquid into the cup and handed it to her. She hesitantly took the cup, cradling it in her hands. She looked between Kaito and the cup several times, before taking a sip of her drink. Kaito considers this a success as he had indeed broken the ice.

"Thank you...I guess." She replied somewhat shyly and began to move away from the table. Being curious as to the identity of this mysterious lady, Kaito took to walking with her.

"Your escort must really needed glasses to leave you by yourself in such a party." He commented as they walked towards the balcony area of the room.

"Excuse me?" Her steps faltered, the low heels of the shoe made a strange sound against the carpeted floor. Kaito already had his arms in front to catch her just in case she does fall over. But instead, she recovered gracefully and resumed their walk.

"It's really inconsiderate of him to not keep you company on a night like this, he should not assume just because we're in a room full of stars and one bright starlet such as yourself would not shine just as bright." He glanced around the room, being able to pick out several more prominent actors and actresses. There were even quite a few retired, or semi-retired actors and actresses mingling about the room. "Movie stars do not often equate to real stars." He turned his attention back to his companion.

"Um...really, there's not a….um…" She seems to be lost for words as her eyes dashed around their surroundings.

"Have you been to see the attraction of the night yet?" He asked, rescuing her from the need to reply. He had detected the slight unease with his previous question and he did not want to cause her unwanted distress. So he settled for a safe topic, which happens to be the main reason why the movie star was holding the party. It was supposed to showcase the newly acquired vase, which just happens to also catch the eye of a would-be thief and Kaito would do his best to make this would-be thief and KID name stealer pay.

"No, not yet." She looked towards the front end of the room, where a glass case has been set up on a raised dais. Standing close were several of the Task Force members Kaito recognised by sight. He flashed them a smile that was returned in kind.

"How about we view it together then?" He offered her his arm, and hopes she would take it.

"Um...won't your escort be worried that you're gone?" She seems unsure about what to do. For a moment, she made a motion to take the offered arm with the hand holding the cup, but then she quickly pulled back and taking a step in the process.

"She's not my escort, rather I'm just here to keep her company whilst her escort went about his business." Kaito took the cup from her hands, placing it on a nearby waiter's tray, and looped his arm around hers. "Shall we?"

Only when the lady nodded slowly did Kaito lead the way. As they made their way, Kaito caught a whiff of something floral. It was not overly sweet or empowering, reminding Kaito of grassy knolls and flower fields. It was a clean and fresh smell, something like Iris with a hint of Lily. There really was no need for him to pinpoint the source of the smell as it was most definitely emanating from the lady by his side.

He skillfully avoided the crowd and steered them towards the dais, arriving in no time at all.

"Not a really spectacular piece though. Seeing as something else stole the show of the evening." His eyes may be trained on the piece of artwork in front of them, but his body language showed his attention was focused elsewhere.

"Something else…?" Her soft voice was just as addictive as the scent surrounding her.

"A vase is nothing without flowers adorning it, yet flowers can exist by themselves amongst a sea of grass and trees." He turned to face her, "however sometimes flowers may be neglected and left to stand too long by themselves, not noticed nor appreciated to their full extent."

Instead of giving her a time to reply, Kaito produced a stem of rose in front of her. The way her eyes widened and crossed to look at the flower was cute in his eyes. Unfortunately, she made no motion to take the rose from his fingers, so Kaito took it upon himself to tuck the rose behind her ears. The bright flower stood out in the midst of the dark strands of hair. Blush appeared on her cheeks immediately following Kaito's action.

"And flowers are at their best under the right amount of attention." He let his hands brush against the stray strands.

If Kaito had not been paying close attention he would have missed the sudden intake of breath by the lady. Her lips parted just a fraction, revealing the rosy inner lips with tips of white form her teeth peeking through. She wetted her lips in nervousness before biting on the soft flesh.

"Shouldn't KID be appearing soon?" She asked, definitely trying to change the topic. It was forceful but Kaito did not call her out for it. While it was not well known KID was supposed to be holding a heist here, the appearance of the Task Force would have tipped her off if the hosts had not already outright stated so.

"Who knows. KID is a phantom who appears and disappears on a whim. But I for one do not wish for his appearance just yet." He shrugged, knowing no KID would appear any time tonight. Though he really should put his other plan in action soon.

"And why is that?" There was a genuine hint of curiosity in her voice.

"Because KID is someone who takes the most treasured jewel inside the room and I for one do not wish to part from such a beauty so early in the evening." Instead of directing his gaze towards the supposed target, his eyes stayed firmly glued on the beauty in front of him.

She turned, trying to avoid Kaito's eyes, and dipped her head slightly to hide the colours on her face.

"Is something wrong?" Kaito asked in concern, the lady was really shy to have such a reaction from his words.

"No, everything's fine. Just that maybe I should go freshen up a bit. Please excuse me." She bowed her hastily head and turned quickly towards the exit. On the way, she stopped by one of the groups of people to whisper something into the ear of a semi-retired actress. Her eyes zoomed in to where Kaito was standing and he had a feeling she was dissecting him with her gaze. She nodded and the lady was swift to leave the room.

'Well, so much for trying to catch her name.' He thought to himself, sending another glare at the vase as though it was the object that wronged him. Pulling out his phone, he sent a quick message, away from Hakuba's prying eyes, to Jii and told him to begin his plan.

 **-TBC-**


	3. The Reverse of a Reverse

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: If you've skipped right to this chapter, you might be a bit confused.

* * *

 **Ch03: The Reverse of a Reverse is not always Forward**

When the words "Allow me miss" were directed at Shinichi, he was not sure how to react. The owner of the voice was the same person he had his eyes trained on ever since the small impromptu show came up. His mother had told him their host managed to wriggle one of the guest to perform for the evening, said guest was also said to be an apprentice magician. His mother also mentioned something about knowing the father of said guest and wanted to see for herself the skills of this young apprentice. When Shinichi first saw the magician, his first thoughts were how alike they look. This was quickly followed by a 'Wait a minute' and several more tricks later had Shinichi taking a step back in surprise. Though his suspicions were only confirmed when said magician finished his performance and bowed to the surrounding audience. The smile of satisfaction, where one side of the mouth was quirked up slightly higher than the other, was the final piece of evidence Shinichi needed to figure out just who the magician really was.

Shinichi had been gobsmacked at seeing his sometime rival, sometime accomplice, standing in the middle of the room with no shouts of profanity ringing in the background. His mother was overjoyed to see the performance and was about to head over and greet said magician when the show ended but Shinichi pointed out one of her old friends had been trying to catch her attention for the past ten minutes. They made their way over, with Shinichi just a step behind. He really did not wan to confront KID just yet, and especially dressed as he was.

"My, Yukiko, you look as radiant as always." The friend leaned over for a hug. "I haven't seen you in ages! Where did you and your husband go this time? Speaking of, where is he?"

"We went touring, as always. But my husband was busy tonight. There's a deadline coming up and he said he wanted to work on it."

It was a complete lie. In fact, his father was likely sitting in the library, reading through some classical literature and taking the time to relax with a nice cup of coffee inside that large library of theirs. When his mother asked for him to come to the party, he had flatly refused. A strange response but apparently, his father did not want his mother to suddenly run off and blame him for being too friendly with any of the guests.

"A pity then." And current company was one of the _reasons_ why his father was absent. His mother had, at one time, accused his father of _flirting_ with this particular friend, though it was unfounded. Perhaps it was only friendly advances on this friend's part, probably as a joke or something. His mother's friends always had a tendency to pull off such pranks and jokes. "So, who's this?" Questioning eyes roamed over Shinichi.

"She's a family friend. I didn't want to come alone and she was in town. Poor girl never had a chance to come to these events..." His mother then proceeded to weave a tale about his character. Shinichi kept an ear out on the story, adding in pieces every now and then for conversations sake as it would be awkward for him to just stand and stare at nothing in particular. Though once the topic strayed away from him and into gossip material, Shinichi's attention waned and began to wonder. None too soon, he excused himself to grab a drink and left the pair of woman chatting happily away.

He looked at the table spread with a frown. The drinks were either overly sweet or were alcoholic, neither of which were to Shinichi's taste. Even when there was no coffee present, he could have done with a cup of juice, or even plain water would have been nice. 'At least they have quite a nice spread of food.' He only had a light lunch this afternoon so he was feeling a bit peckish, but before satisfying his hunger, he had to cure his thirst.

Settling for the orange punch, Shinichi was just reaching over when the voice echoed in his ear.

"Allow me miss." His hands reached out to stop Shinichi's own, holding his wrist at a loose grip as it directs it down to a resting position. Shinichi could only gape at the gesture.

"Um…" He was at a lost for words, why would KID suddenly speak to him? Could he not recognise Shinichi? After all, his disguise was not overly complex, consisting of only makeup, wig, and a dress. By all means, the thief should be walking to the other end of the room, not standing next to him and offering a drink. He hesitantly took hold of the cup, bringing it slowly to his lips. Shinichi would not be so ignorant to the thief's antics, there was always a chance KID could have slipped something into the drink. Taking a sniff, Shinichi noticed the tangy smell of citrus, along with something sweet and a hint of strawberry."Thank you...I guess."

Enough of the banter, if KID would not move away, then Shinichi would gracefully back off. The thief may have sent a notice, but it was not yet time and the person in front of him was not dressed in a white suit. No matter how much Shinichi wanted to rant at the thief about taking _his_ face for a spin (albeit a face with several differences such as the angular cheek and nose, the colour of eyes, and the hairstyle and that this time he apparently came as himself), Shinichi refrained from doing so as it would go against their code. He may not have declared himself a gentleman but Shinichi does uphold certain values, one of which were the rules governing their game of cat and mouse. As long as the thief was out of costume, Shinichi would not pursue him. Though this does not mean Shinichi would not try and figure out his identity outside of heist, only that the detective would not actively try to put the thief behind bars without the white suit. Which was why Shinichi was currently trying to move away from the man. But KID seems adamant in following Shinichi, taking just a step behind him. Sighing, he let the thief follow him as he wander around the room. Surely the thief is only mocking him, trying to catch him unawares. Could he not _see_ Shinichi? Was the thief that unobservant? Is KID trying to play a prank on him?

"Your escort must really needed glasses to leave you by yourself in such a party." He commented with an observant eye on Shinichi's actions as they approached the balcony. Shinichi stuttered in his steps, heels catching onto a loose thread of the carpet as they begin to cross the threshold between the indoors and outdoors. He had chosen to lead them here to give the thief some way of escaping for when ( _if_ ) Shinichi exposes KID. It was the least he could do to ensure the game could continue. Shinichi was quite sure the thief had a reason to steal and then subsequently return the gems, but he had yet to figure out the reason. However, that was a thought for another day. The current, more pressing issue, would be how to shake off the thief without raising alarms.

"Excuse me?" He could not help but be incredulous. Shinichi had to hold back the impulse of slapping himself in the forehead. Does the thief have a suicide wish to continuing this conversation?

"It's really inconsiderate of him to not keep you company on a night like this, he should not assume just because we're in a room full of stars and one bright starlet such as yourself would not shine just as bright." Shinichi followed the thief's gaze into the room, eyes roaming and easily picking out where his mother stood with her group of friends. His mother was alluring, as usual, charming anyone who stood near her. Her voice was filled with joy and happiness as she giggled at some joke her friend made. From time to time, another guest would enter the crowd and huddle to where his mother stood, strike up a conversation, and becoming attracted to her boisterous character.

"Movie stars do not often equate to real stars." KID's voice startled Shinichi from his observation.

"Um...really, there's not a….um…" Shinichi was not sure how to reply to that. On the one hand, his mother was not really his escort, it was the other way around. On the other, he really did not need an escort seeing as he could protect himself quite well, even when dressed in such an outfit with very little in terms of concealed weaponry. His kick can do a lot more damage now that he was in his actual age, and did not need the kicking shoes (though they do come in handy should he want to demolish something).

Shinichi bit his lower lips, trying hard to come up with something plausible that did not involve making up another character that he needed to keep track of should he choose to use this disguise again (and why would he want to? His self-imposed exile would be ending invite soon, just until the start of the new term). He glanced around, hoping to spot someone he recognised or something that could catch their interest. His eyes settled for the end of the room where heavy curtains hung on the wall to provide a backdrop for an intricate vase.

"Have you been to see the attraction of the night yet?" KID must have noticed his attention. At least it did provide them with a good, safe, topic for conversation (if he could really call his bumbling a conversation. No more than a dozen words have passed between them).

'That might be why KID could not recognise me, my voice sounded different thanks to the Professor's device.'

Torn between wanting to key KID to the hint and wanting to escape, Shinichi told the thief "No, not yet." Though he soon wondered whether they would be safe, heading straight towards the amateurishly disguised Task Force members who were trying hard to blend into the crowd of VIPs and famous people.

"How about we view it together then?" He offered his arm towards Shinichi.

In light of his disguise, Shinichi was reaching to hold onto the arm but he caught himself in the last instance. Surely, such an action would not only reveal Shinichi to KID but also provide the thief a means of humiliating the detective. Taking a step back, Shinichi knew he needed to remind KID.

"Um...won't your escort be worried that you're gone?" There, that was subtle enough to point out that KID was not here alone and that he had a purpose to be present inside this party.

"She's not my escort, rather I'm just here to keep her company whilst her escort went about his business." KID took away his cup and placed it on a conveniently passing waiter's tray before placing his hand onto the offered arm. Shinichi held back the groan that was forming in his throat, somewhat disturbed by the way the thief was acting towards him.

"Shall we?" He sounded so hopeful that it made it difficult for Shinichi to say no. Not to mention those eyes, they were sparkling so much that it would hurt Shinichi to refuse. Nodding in consent, he allowed the thief to lead them towards the dais. It was somewhat strange to see how KID employed his skills of evading the Task Force members to avoiding collision with semi-drunk guests. None too soon, they were in front of the dais with the nearby Task Force member nodding an acknowledgement towards KID. The Task Force member then stepped away slightly to give the pair some sense of privacy and Shinichi was gobsmacked. Why would they do that? Were they not supposed to protect this piece of artwork?

"Not a really spectacular piece though. Seeing as something else stole the show of the evening." KID's voice once again broke Shinichi's concentration on trying to decipher the strangeness of their current circumstances.

"Something else…?" Shinichi wondered what else could catch people's attention around the room. Sure, the guests were all interesting, all of them were in some ways famous either through their actions or just because they were rich. The only anomaly were the Task Force members and they were professionals in the jobs, being able to stay focus on the task (read: spotting for KID without pulling people's faces off albeit without much success, case in point, his current companion). The decor was not exactly spectacular and the absence of actual art inside the room made it difficult for people's attention to be detracted from conversations among themselves.

"A vase is nothing without flowers adorning it, yet flowers can exist by themselves amongst a sea of grass and trees. However sometimes flowers may be neglected and left to stand too long by themselves, not noticed nor appreciated to their full extent." A flower appeared in front of Shinichi's eye. He knew it was produced from the thief's sleeve pocket, having spotted the unnaturalness when KID flicked his wrist. Though he must commend the thief that the rose remained quite intact even when stowed on his person for the duration of the party.

Now, although Shinichi knew he should take the flower, to avoid any suspicions (though he _had_ been trying to make the thief realise who he was talking to), Shinichi stayed absolutely still. However, it was a bad move on Shinichi's part as KID placed the flower behind his ear and rearranged the strands of hair to showcase the flower. Shinichi took a breath to steady himself, trying his best not to react. He gulped, suddenly feeling very thirsty and had to bite down on his already abused lips to stop himself from licking off the lipstick in an act to satiate his thirst.

"Shouldn't KID be appearing soon?" Now Shinichi was being quite blunt and obvious. While it was not announced to the public, Shinichi recognised the people strategically stationed around the room and came to the conclusion that there will definitely be a KID heist. Therefore, KID needs to realise heist time is coming upon them, and this was purely speculative on Shinichi's part, and he should be readying for his show. Not standing close to Shinichi and admiring the vase (and also the target of the evening).

"Who knows." He shrugged, seemingly not to understand the hint. Did KID not know that he heist was not public knowledge? Was he not suspicious at all when he was practically announcing to the thief that he knew? "KID is a phantom who appears and disappears on a whim. But I for one do not wish for his appearance just yet."

It seems to Shinichi that KID was trying to say this heist was not staged by him, and that he was only here to foil the imposter's efforts.

Curious as to how KID knew about this fake heist (in the hopes of determining his information routes and possibly tracking KID down at a later date), Shinichi could not help but ask "and why is that?"

"Because KID is someone who takes the most treasured jewel inside the room and I for one do not wish to part from such a beauty so early in the evening."

That statement hit Shinichi like a train. He finally realised that all this time, KID had been trying to _flirt_ with him. Or more specifically, his character. His face immediately warmed up and he had to dip his head so not to let the thief know he figured out his intentions. When KID asked "Is something wrong?" there was only one way of escaping this conversation.

"No, everything's fine. Just that maybe I should go freshen up a bit. Please excuse me." He quickened his steps to where he last saw his mother was, nearly tripping over his own two feet again even if the heels were relatively low compared to all those worn by the other females in the room.

"'Kaa-san." He leaned over to his mother's ears and whispered once he was within range. "I'm going to duck out early."

"Is something wrong?" Her voice was filled with concern. "Did someone molest you?"

"What? No!" How did his mother come up with such an incredulous conclusion his sudden appearance.

"Then does it have something to do with Kai-chan?"

" _Kai-chan_?" Shinichi spared a quick glance at the man he left by the dais, who still has eyes trained on him.

"Did he do something to you that you don't approve of? If so, I'll go over there and teach him a lesson. No one messes with my Shin-chan and escapes." Her eyes glinted with traces of annoyance.

"No! He didn't do anything. Just...leave him alone ok? My leaving has nothing to do with him." He quickly tries to dissuade his mother from doing anything drastic. "It's just the party's not holding my attention and it is quite late in the evening, so I thought I'll head home early and check in on 'tou-san at the same time."

"But you'll be missing the KID heist. Mari-chan just told me KID sent out a note to them about taking that vase you were looking at." It seems she has every intention to see the thief perform, not knowing that he already had.

"I don't think KID would actually show up tonight. It's likely a dud." He would not say out loud, where everyone could hear. It would be suspicious, especially in the eyes of the nearby Task Force, for someone not directly involved with KID cases to know about the existence of a note when it had not been publicised.

"Are you sure?" His mother could be asking for confirmation about the heist or his leaving. Either way, Shinichi nodded. "Oh, alright." She gave him a wave, a gesture telling him it was fine for him to leave, and turned back towards her previous conversation. As Shinichi stepped away, he heard his mother weaving another excuse for his leaving. He chanced another glance in the direction of the dais and found the thief to be looking extremely intently at his direction. Ducking his head, he headed out the door with hurried steps.

 **-TBC-**

* * *

A/N: Here ends the flirting party part. You see that "TBC"? That means there's more to come.


	4. Shopping trips are messy

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: And now, let me present you, another reason why Shin-chan is _required_ to dress up. Again, another horrible attempt at humour.

* * *

 **Ch04: Shopping trips are messy**

"No 'kaa-san." Shinichi stated resolutely, eyes never wandering away from the words on the pages. No matter how bored or how many times he re-read the same stack of books, he would not go along with his mother's plans.

"But Shin-chan~" She whined, leaning heavily onto his arm. He envied his father having the excuse to leave Japan. They had to establish a good story for Kudo Shinichi to return, part of it meant pretending he had been in the States the whole time. Seeing as his parents did not want to leave him alone in Japan for the time being, his mother volunteered to stay behind. And it seems she was bored.

"No 'kaa-san, I want to finish this book."

"But you've read it many times already." She pulled the book out of his grasp and Shinichi let out an indignant whine.

"I like reading." He tries to reach for the book but his mother already stood up, holding the book above her head. Shinichi sighed. "Ok, I'll bite. Though I'm not promising anything."

"Yay! Shin-chan's the best!" She immediately launched herself at him, hugging the life out of Shinichi. Regardless of how he struggles, his mother's grip was firm.

"I Didn't Agree Yet!"

"You see," she completely ignored his complaint and pulled out a leaflet from her pockets, "Beika Mall is having a special sale. There's a limit to how much discount a single customer can have, and a buying limit on certain goods as well." She then began to rattle off a list of things she wanted, Shinichi began tuning her out after the third item. "So?"

Sighing, he knew he would not be able to escape this trip, he nodded. "But _I_ can't appear remember? I'm supposed to be in New York right now." He glanced at the international paper laying on the side table. Apparently, his parents (most likely his father) took the cold cases he had been working on and sent it to his Interpol friends. Many of the cold cases Shinichi managed to have his hands on were from the States though there were also a few based in Japan (quite rare for actual cold cases to appear in Japan seeing as there were so many teenage detectives in the area. No cases could go unsolved for long around this region).

"Of course I know that." She told him as though telling of a young child then pulled out _something_ from a paper bag she carried in here with her.

"What?! No, absolutely not!" Shinichi frantically looked for an escape. "I can easily slip on something inconspicuous. Glasses worked for Conan, it would work for me."

"But Shin-chan, no one recognised you when you put this disguise on." She smoothed out the wig, patting down and running her fingers through the artificial locks of hair. "And I promise it would be something longer this time. No more short skirts. Or heels for that matter. See?" She pulled out the set of garments.

"Could that even be considered a _skirt_? Or even a one piece for that matter? It's a shirt! And those are not trousers, pants or jeans! They're thin!"

"It's a shirt-dress, oversized and long enough to cover you up. And those are leggings, you wear them underneath. It'll show off the shapes of your legs." She shook her head. "You're the son of a former actress, you _need_ to know things like fashion and latest trends."

"I need to stress once more I Am MALE." Shinichi struggled against his mother's tug. In one smooth motion his mother had dragged him out of the leather chair, pushed the paper bag containing every bit of his disguise sans makeup into his hand, and pushed him into his room.

"That is not an excuse young man." She stated before closing the door. "And I'm giving you fifteen minutes to change. Any longer and I'll come in and finish dressing you."

He pulled out the various bits and pieces, wincing when he saw the familiar undergarments though this time was in white rather black. He supposed it was to match the shirt/dress thing.

"How did you even have all these...were you secretly preparing to ambush and instant-change me when you come home? Should I be expecting more sneak attacks once I _return_ and live here?" He slowly, and very reluctantly, disrobed his garments.

"I have a friend who's an amateur designer. She designs really nice pieces, specialising in gender-reversal clothing. She travels quite a bit, touring Europe though mainly in Milan and Paris, but she visits New York from time-to-time. Most of her travels to the State have her in LA and Las Vegas. Those drag queens loved her work." Her voice was muffled through the wooden door, "she loves creating various pieces for the male gender, especially for cross-dressing. I talk frequently with her and we're really good friends."

"How come I've never heard of this woman then?" He grumbled, trying not to think about what he was putting on. At least the clothing were not overly uncomfortable. Sure, they felt strange but they were still quite well made.

"She's the wife of my late disguise instructor. But because she travels so much, we've never managed a gathering between our two families. Especially after her husband's passing, we mainly talk over the phone. Her son was the one we saw at the party."

Shinichi was in the middle of buttoning the shirt when his hands suddenly came to a halt. 'Then that means the person who designed these is the mother of KID, the Phantom Lady! No wonder the clothes felt more functional than actually a fashion piece. These were all designed with KID in mind, to support his disguises…' Shinichi was not sure whether it would be a good idea to reveal to his mother the hidden identity of her friend.

"Shin-chan? Finished yet?" His mother's voice reminded Shinichi he was on a time limit, no dawdling allowed.

"Nearly done." Quickly, he buttoned the rest of the shirt, grabbed the belt and looped it around his waist, before opening the door. His mother applied the right amount of makeup on him and attached the wig.

"There!" She declared with flourish, "Now we can go shopping."

"Whopee…" Shinichi's sarcasm brought narrowed eyes to his mother's face. "I mean, yes, let's go." He sounded slightly more enthusiastic this time.

Satisfied with the response, she walked back out to grab her things. Shinichi had no choice but follow his mother's whims.

Shinichi held back a shudder when they stepped into Beika Mall, which was filled with shoppers of every age though mainly of the fairer gender. He followed his mother dutifully a step behind, and suddenly was grateful he was in disguise. He eyed the several males who were unfortunately saddled with shopping bags of all sizes and colours, humping over tiredly as their female counterparts resolutely walked into another store.

"This way Shin-chan." She called out, at least this time the nickname did serve a purpose. She was pointing at the store selling accessories. "There's a quota limit on the amount we can buy at this store, I need you here."

He tried not to drag his feet as he walked towards his first shop of doom. He knew he would not have a break from this point onwards. His mother would ask for his every opinion on each of her selections. Sighing, he was resigned to a day of torture.

Fortunately, his mother had the decency to dismiss him when she approached the level of shops selling lingerie.

"Ok, Shin-chan. This is the part when I can let you loose." She waved him back towards the escalators, but not without a stern warning. "Though you'd better stay within the mall and pick up the phone when I call you."

"Right, right." Knowing his mother would take a very long time on these floors, Shinichi set about to look for something interesting. He knew there was a new novel coming out so he might as well go buy it now.

Unfortunately, his trip to the bookshop only lasted ten minutes as none of the other novels managed to hold his interest long enough to bother reading and apparently the book he wanted to buy was out of stock. Wandering around, Shinichi spied the game center currently quite vacant. It could be because all males know to avoid the mall on this day, that they would have been better off finding entertainment elsewhere. Those males that were actually inside the mall were all roped to carry bags and become pack mules. Shinichi was at least glad that his mother had requested all their bags to be delivered because she mentioned not wanting to ruin the image (Shinichi could not be sure _what_ that image was).

Once the automatic glass doors opened, a cacophony of sounds bombarded Shinichi. There were a few students around several of the video games who looked up at Shinichi for a brief moment before returning to their game. Not paying them any attention, Shinichi walked over to the shooter games, intending to spend a bit of time at the simulator game. His skills in video games only extended to simulators, anything involving actual button pushing meant he would lose the game within five minutes of starting.

Pulling out several coins, he inserted five hundred yen and pushed the start button. He picked up the plastic gun and took aim at the screen.

'At least I can practice my shooting skills, even though it is highly unrealistic.' He thought as his arms automatically moved to the first target and began shooting.

On the ground floor, Kaito had been unfortunate enough to be roped by Aoko to help carry her bags for this shopping trip.

"Aoko had been saving for ages for the Beika Mall Specials. Last time, Keiko found a great deal here." She was extremely excited by the prospect of finding some new pieces of clothing to match her current wardrobe. "Aoko needed a few more shirts and dresses."

"I know girls loved shopping and fashion, but do they have to be this...crazy?" Kaito managed to catch a glimpse at the nearest shop where two females were currently in an argument over a purse. "It's not the end of the world if they could not buy a new purse or a new dress."

"Kaito doesn't know anything." Aoko, who had been determinedly walking towards a particular store, turned to face Kaito. "It may not be the end of the world, but it would mean everything when said piece of clothing makes or breaks the whole ensemble. No one likes mismatched clothes" She eyed Kaito critically up and down. "But then again, perhaps it is because Kaito never cared much about his looks that he couldn't understand."

"Hey, I understand the minds of females plenty." Kaito argues. He was, after all, a gentleman, so he knew what a woman wanted whether it was a flower or compliment, Kaito (and KID) always made certain those on the receiving end would feel special.

"If Kaito knows about woman then why is Kaito still flipping Aoko's skirt during classes?" She took a threatening step forwards. "Unless Kaito is saying it was what Aoko wanted all along, even when Aoko had yelled at Kaito for being obnoxious and perverted."

"You needed to loosen up." Kaito quickly turned Aoko back in the direction she was heading. "Besides, now is not the time to be dwelling on such matters. Don't you have some shopping to do?"

"Don't think Aoko will forget this." Aoko huffed and headed into the first clothes shop, leaving Kaito by the door. Twenty minutes later, she came out carrying a paper bag and pushed it into Kaito's hands.

"You know you could always have them delivered." He mentioned to his childhood friend as he took a peek into the bag.

"Delivery costs a lot, Aoko wouldn't have enough to buy everything otherwise." She walked hastily in another direction. It looked as though Aoko had done her research before coming, her route seems to have been calculated to make her trip the most efficient and effective, without wasting effort in walking and wandering about the shops.

Five shops and the same amount of bags later, Aoko pronounced she had bought everything she wanted.

"Wow, you only took an hour and a bit." Kaito was surprised. Never had he seen someone shop so efficiently. Though he was saddled with all the bags as Aoko browsed between shops.

"Of course. Aoko still needs to hurry home and make dinner. Aoko couldn't spend all her time here you know." She led them passed the game center on the floor they had been shopping at. "Besides, the Mall will become more crowded in late afternoon and early evening. That's when the crazy shopping starts."

Kaito suddenly halted when his eyes caught onto something interesting inside the game center.

"Aoko, sorry. Something came up. I don't think I can accompany you back home." He gave Aoko back her bags. "I'll make it up to you at another time?" He asked hopefully.

Aoko looked at him, eyes narrowing a fraction in preparation to yell at him. Though Kaito's attention were already drawn towards the back of the player at the shooting game and never saw the look of realisation dawning on Aoko's face when she looked between him and the object of his attention.

"Alright, Aoko will let Kaito go this time." Aoko took the bags into her hands. "Though Aoko expects Kaito to tell everything once he returns."

"What do you mean?" Kaito hesitated. "What would there be to tell?"

"It's because of that girl right?" Aoko pointed at where Kaito had been looking. "Kaito is interested in her. Kaito is always interested in beautiful girls, though why Kaito always reject Akako-chan is a real mystery."

"Urg, don't even mention her in my presence." Kaito groaned. That witch had been trying to seduce him for the whole year and it was becoming more of an annoyance than the entertainment value he received to see her fail each time. "And you're making me sound like I go skirt chasing because I see someone beautiful."

"But don't you Kaito?" She then lowered her voice to a soft whisper that Kaito nearly missed "Isn't that why you never noticed Aoko?"

"What?! No! It's just…" Kaito did not want to lie about the reason he pretended not to take interest in Aoko. The whole KID ordeal made it extremely difficult for him to form an intimate attachment to his childhood friend. He did not want her to be torn when forced to chose a side; to side with her law-abiding father or the law-breaking Kaito/KID. Not that it matters anymore seeing as Aoko seems to have taken an interest in someone else. "You're like a sister to me. We're family, you, your father, me. So you're close to my heart, only slightly different."

"When Kaito puts it that way…" The saddened atmosphere was lifted when Aoko lifter her head. "Alright, Aoko will accept that. Though Aoko still want to know how this turns out."

"Really, it's nothing. I just recognised her that's all." He needed to make it clear to Aoko that he was not attracted to that girl simply because she looked good, that he was not drawn to the slim waist, alabaster skin, rosy lips, clear cerulean eyes, and locks of midnight black. 'Oh no, those were all aesthetics, the superficial layers of a person. Am I really that shallow?'

"Yea, as if Aoko believes Kaito. But no matter, Aoko will leave Kaito to discover for himself." She left Kaito to wonder in front of the game center.

 **-TBC-**


	5. Cheesiness is both endearing and painful

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: I didn't realise I wrote so many words. The POV changes part way so it might be a bit confusing. Maybe I should have split the chapter up...

* * *

 **Ch05: Cheesiness is both endearing and painful**

Kaito entered the game center, mind still stuck in the infinite loop of wondering what attracted his attention, the characteristics of the Lady of the Night (a nickname he devised for the lady he met during the party in the absence of a name), and whether such characteristics were as shallow as they sounded. He stood back and watch the Lady decimated another bloody zombie without even wincing or jumping at the sudden appearances of terrifying monsters. He must admit, there were not many girls he knew of that were not scared of the horrible creatures. Most do become startled or frightened when jump scared. He wondered just how much it would take to scare the Lady.

'She must have a strong mind.' He concluded with a small smile playing on his lips. Her hair swayed across her back as she took aim to the side, hips moving to accommodate for the change in center of mass. 'I doubt the usual haunted house would give her a scare, maybe I can invite her to our school's fair next time.' Kaito remembered the realism in several of the haunted house themed classrooms that had a majority of guests, both male and female of all ages, run screaming out of the school gates.

Kaito must have tuned out during his musings as the video game screen flashed the letters 'YOU WIN' and the Lady looked startled at seeing Kaito standing at her back.

"I'm not surprised you're a sharpshooter." Kaito said after a brief cough. She cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Your aim at the hearts of men have had them all falling at your feet." He was sure he had laid it on a bit thick but his mind was quite distracted at the beauty surrounded by the ethereal glow provided by the game screens.

"Um...are you here for shopping as well today?" She glance at his hands, as though to spot the shopping bags. "Where's your friend?"

And Kaito had been right. 'Smart and beautiful.' No doubt she had thought he would not be coming here alone on such a crazy day.

"She finished early. It was the first time I saw a girl shopping so efficiently." Kaito was sure that if his mother heard him, he would be berating him for complimenting another girl in front of someone he felt vaguely attracted to. 'I really shouldn't have said that.' He resisted the urge to slap himself in the forehead and settled for awkwardly shifting his stance.

"I see..." She glanced at the doorway, Kaito following her gaze and took the cue.

"Are you here alone today? Did your escort abandon you again?"

"What? No. I needed a breather and..." whatever she was about to say was interrupted by something in her pocket. She took out the phone and grimaced, turning her back towards Kaito to have some privacy in conversation. "I'm sorry, I need to go now."

"I'll walk you to where you need to go."

Together, they walked out of the noisy game center and into the bright mall interior. Both had to squint their eyes to adjust for the change in light levels, though Kaito managed it just a fraction earlier than her and was treated to a cute sight of the girl furrowing her brows and making a face at the intrusion of light.

"If you close your eyes as you walk out it's a bit better." He advised, "simply think of it as stepping between dreams." To Kaito, it was like stepping between dreams, having to go into the game center to find her and bringing her out into reality.

"Uh...thanks I supposed?" She took the lead and walk towards the escalators. Kaito immediately realised which area she was heading to when she made a sudden turn at the next floor. "Are you sure you want to follow me?"

'Considerate as well…' He mentally added to the list of qualities he had been building about the Lady.

Shinichi had once again been startled and surprised by the appearance of KID. He had not expect to see the moonlight thief in bright daylight. 'Though, I supposed he would have a civilian life somewhere…' He had thought that KID would take the hint and leave him once they stepped into the area of the mall filled with lingerie shops.

"I wanted to see to your safety." He replied with such honesty that it made Shinichi difficult to turn him away. He let KID follow him to where he last saw his mother.

"Over here Sh…" She stopped mid-sentence the moment she saw KID walking behind. "Oh my. I never thought I'd meet you here Kai-chan."

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" KID was still quite courteous even though he was being confronted by his mother.

'And 'kaa-san could be intimidating when she wanted.'

"I supposed I can't really fault you for not remembering." She shook her head and walked closer. "You were still quite young then, running around at your father's heels. And you called me obaa-san then as well." She pinched KID's cheeks with such playful malice that Shinichi could not help but wince with the thief. Though the action seems to have woken some buried memories and the thief flashed the most charming smile in his arsenal to disarm the ticking time bomb known as his mother.

"How could I forget such a lovely face as yours Yukiko-oneechan. You still looked as radiant as ever." He produced a yellow rose and presented it as a peace offering. "I'm just as surprised to see you here as well."

"So," she looked between them, "why are you here Kai-chan?" She sounded extremely suspicious, though Shinichi could not fathom why and what actions made her so.

"I was just escorting this lovely lady to her destination. It would not do for someone of her beauty to wander around all by herself."

Shinichi's jaws dropped when his mother began giggling at the words.

"Yes, yes. It really would not be safe." She added in between gasps of air. "Would you like to wait for a while. I only have a few things I needed her for then you can go back to keeping her company. I'm afraid the girl really dislikes shopping trips."

"What? Wait, do I have a say in this?" Shinichi was already being pulled back into the shop. Whatever his mother needed him for, it seems urgent.

KID nodded and took residence on a nearby bench set just inside the store. Most likely for all the male counterparts that enters.

"'Kaa-san, what are you thinking? Better yet, what are you planning?" Shinichi tries to struggle out of the vice-like grip.

"I'm not planning anything. But I really do need you to be here." She gave him a small basket filled with several pieces of clothing. Shinichi avoids looking at the content in too much detail. "Carry that for me."

She then led the way to the changing room and Shinichi felt the sudden urge to flee.

"I'm NOT going in there!" Shinichi dug his heels into the soft carpet, body already turning to run away. But his mother had anticipated his reacting and took hold of his biceps. Shinichi could feel her nails biting into his skin even through the fabric.

"Come now Shin-chan, I really wanted to see you in these." She pushed him towards the changing stall. "Besides, we have a guest and it would look strange for you to step into this store and not do anything. _You_ don't want him to become suspicious do you?"

"I'll just hide in there." He pointed at some obscure corner. "Then I'll come out. No one would be the wiser."

"If you haven't noticed Shin-chan, he can see that particular corner and the entrance to this area quite well from where he's sitting." She directed his gaze back to KID, who gave a jaunty wave and a blinding smile. Shinichi suppressed another wince. He was sure his mother had planned for his humiliation. "Now, go in and try them on. I made sure they were all decent."

"You planned this all along haven't you?" Shinichi grumbled, picking up one of the less lacey and less revealing pieces, which happened to be a satin nightgown. "You just want to humiliate your own blood and flesh."

"Nonsense." As much as she seems to be denying, her voice betrayed her amusement. "I just want to see how good my techniques were in the art of disguise. Now go in there and try those in the basket. You won't have to strip fully down, keep the leggings and the brassiere, you should do just fine."

Hesitantly, he knew he had no choice but to follow his mother's order, he stepped into the curtained room with trepidation. He wondered if it is called blackmail if it was his mother threatening him. Carefully, as though the négligé would suddenly burn up in his hands, he took the piece of clothing and hung it onto the provided hook.

"Why?" He muttered, leaning onto the mirror.

Slowly he began to undress, knowing his mother would check in on him very soon. It would be worse if his mother decided to take it upon her hands and change him. He shuddered at the very thought.

"Shin-chan?" His mother's voice seems too sugary for his taste. "You ok in there?"

"Of course." He bit out a reply, struggling to remove the buttons on his shirt with haste and quickly slipping on the satin garment.

"Then I'm coming in~" She chirped merrily. Shinichi panicked.

"Wait, no! Stop!" Shinichi barely had time to straighten his outfit.

Without further warning, the curtains of the room flung open and Shinichi tries to cover up as much of his modesty as he could. Thankfully, though he could not be sure how thankful he should be, he had the flimsy négligé on. Unfortunately, because of his mother's behaviour, they managed to draw in KID's attention from where he was sitting.

"'Ka..Kya!" He wanted to yell at his mother but it would reveal who he was. Instead, he kept to character and let out a rather shrill scream.

"Come now, don't be shy." She pushed away the hands holding the shirt in front of him, which he held on like a girl not wanting to be exposed. No one can blame him for bad acting now.

"You're not supposed to throw open the curtains!" Instead of grabbing the shirt back, he pulled at the curtains. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see a flustered thief turning away hastily.

"Maybe I should wait outside…" He called out with his back towards them. "I'll...stay outside and wait until you're finished here." He hurried out the door like hell hounds were on his tail. One of his hands was inside his jacket, rummaging hurriedly around before finally locating the object. Shinichi saw a flicker of burgundy fluttering out of the pocket but the thief was already by the doorway, too far for Shinichi to call out to ask whether he was alright.

Once the thief was out, his mother giggled and let Shinichi have the shirt back.

"'Kaa-san, if that's your form of prank, it's in a very bad form." He huffed and tugged the curtains back shut to change out of the satin gown.

"Of course it's not a prank Shin-chan." He could hear his mother struggling to breath correctly. "But I've always wanted to see how much I can get away with."

"Well, you've succeeded in humiliating your own son in front of a stranger then." He stepped out with anger, shoving the piece of clothing back into the basket.

"But Kai-chan is no stranger. I've known him since he was a child. His father was my disguise instructor."

"Yes, yes. You did say that before."

"And our two families kept in constant communication. Granted, we don't meet face-to-face all that often nowadays. With Chi-chan constantly moving between Paris, New York, and Vegas and us just moving around the globe in general." She moved towards the cashier and motioned for Shinichi to deposit the basket on the counter. The sales behind the counter gave a small chuckle and commented how fitting the négligé had been on Shinichi, which led to more giggles from his mother.

"You mentioned 'Kai-chan', I don't suppose that's his real name." As much as Shinichi not wanting to find out about the true identity of KID this way, he was still curious.

"Kuroba Kaito. His father is the late magician Kuroba Toichi who passed away a decade ago in a magic accident. His mother, Chikage, was the one who designed and made the clothes you're wearing right now."

That was more information than Shinichi had thought he would receive. Not only did he have a name, but his mother nearly told him the family history. If the current KID is Kuroba Kaito, then his father would be the previous KID because KID had been active even before Shinichi had been born, which confirms Shinichi's own suspicions that this was the second generation of KID. Though it still did not make sense and the previous KID died ten years ago, then who trained the current KID. Surely no one could suddenly become a phantom thief in a single day.

"Kai-chan had been training ever since he was young." As though reading his thoughts, his mother continued the tale. "Always running around Toichi-sensei in hopes of having him show a new trick."

It made more sense now, if the current KID had been groomed for the task since he was young. But his mother had mentioned Kuroba Toichi was a magician, and he remembered seeing the name somewhere, so the family should not be strapped for cash and reduce a budding magician and a teenage magician to pursue a life of crime. Not to mention KID always return the gems so they were not doing this for the money.

"Shin-chan?" His mother looked at him worriedly. Something must have shown on his face as his mother looked about the shop to see what set him off. "Is something the matter?"

"No, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking..." Now he had to come up with a plausible excuse. "...you know, how come we never met as children if our families seems to be so close."

"Oh," she seemed to have bought the excuse, "it's because Yuu-chan said it would be better if our two families kept apart. I never questioned as it did seem logical at the time, what with both your father and I being famous people and their family did not need the paparazzi following them."

Yes, it did seem logical but Kuroba Toichi was also a magician, so he had his own share of fans and stalking reporters. Shinichi made a mental not to interrogate his father for details.

"Come now, let's not keep Kai-chan waiting." She caught Shinichi's attention again.

"Why must you insist he stay?" Shinichi couldn't help but moan once more as his mother dragged them towards the store's entrance.

"Someone needs to keep you company while I'm off shopping. And who better than Kai-chan? You two seems to know each other already and he seems quite interested in you."

"In this disguise you mean."

"Same thing. You're the one wearing this disguise and he seems quite smitten. By the looks of how he's trying his best to distract himself."

At the store front, with his back against the window, stood the magician thief whose hands were busy shuffling cards. But it was apparent that he was doing this without thought as his eyes were fixated on the boring ceiling.

"Did you have long to wait?" He saw how the magician nearly jump out of his skin when his mother spoke. Shinichi muffled a giggle in his fist at the look on the magician's face.

"No, of course not." With a flick of his hands, the cards disappeared. "It's never a long for beautiful women like yourselves Yukiko-oneechan and..." his gaze drifted to Shinichi and immediately there was a blush. Shinichi realised he must ad remembering what he saw happen in the changing room and he too blushed at the memory.

"Don't tell me, you haven't introduced yourselves yet?" His mother looked curiously between them then heaved a dramatic sigh. "Really girl, haven't your parents taught you proper manners? Then I supposed you did take after your father too much."

If his mother was trying to fish for compliments, she could think again.

"I guess it's because we were both a little bit distracted by the visages every time we bump into each other." The thief turned to face Shinichi properly. "Allow me to introduce myself first. Kuroba Kaito, amateur magician. Pleased to be of your acquaintance Graceful Lady." He reached for Shinichi's hand and lifted to his lips, giving the knuckles a quick kiss before looking up into his eyes. "Please call me by my name."

Shinichi was not sure what he should be thinking, let alone how to react. It was one thing knowing the thief acts like a gentleman towards the ladies, it was another to be the target of his actions. So, instead of being able to utter a single sound, his mouth only opened and shut continuously.

"This is Irie Shinna. She's the daughter of a good friend of mine who's come down from Hokkaido for a vacation." At least his mother took pity at his current predicament and spoke for him. "She's a bit shy so you'll have to forgive her."

Shinichi immediately cast over a glower. His mother seems to be having a fun time making up the background story of this disguise, which meant more work for Shinichi as he had to memorize all the new information.

"I think I'll stick to your family name for now Kuroba-kun. I mean we barely know each other..." He hoped the thief caught the hint.

"Of course. If you don't mind if I call you Irie-chan."

Great, now Shinichi had to adjust to this new name as well. It had been difficult enough when he first became Conan, taking a few days to familiarize himself with the name. Now he only have a few minutes at best to remember to respond when called.

"Now then Kai-chan, you better keep her safe." She cast another glance over at the pair of them. "I was so worried when she wandered off all on her own. What if she became lost, or worst, accosted by some unsavory individuals. What would I tell her parents then?"

"I intend to do just that." The thief took a step closer, enough to have their shoulders touching. He looked at Shinichi meaningfully. "After all, the mall is filled with too many eyes and too many strange intentions. It would not do for someone like Irie-chan to move about without an escort."

"Please stop talking as though I'm not here." Shinichi had just about enough of the pair assuming he could not take care of himself. "I can find my own way in the mall."

"I never doubted that. I only wanted someone to keep an eye on you." Despite his mother's playful tone, the undercurrent of worry seeped through easily and Shinichi's gaze soften.

"I know." He admitted, at the tone and agreed with having the thief as his escort.

"Stay in the mall alright? And remember to pick up the phone when I call. On second thought, Kai-chan, leave me your number as well." She motioned for the magician and they both took out their phone.

She quickly shoo-ed them away and made her way towards another shop.

"So," the magician looked slightly unsure now that he was given the task to keep Shinichi company. "Was there any particular placed you want to go?"

"Does going back home count?" If there was really a place, then it would be to escape his mother and the mall in general.

"I'm afraid even I won't be able to rescue you from the mall Princess. I have strict orders to make sure you stay here." He joked with a twinkle in his eyes. "I wouldn't dare to go against the wishes of Yukiko-san."

"You're afraid of my mother?" Shinichi was surprised to hear his mother could have such an effect on someone she barely met.

"My face still remembers the sting of her pinch." He rubbed at the soft flesh, to which Shinichi could not help but let out a small chuckle. "By the way, what do you mean by your _mother_? I thought the Kudo's had a son."

'Oh crap!' Shinichi internally swore. "Well, Yukiko-san is really like a mother to me ever since what happened to my own, and with my father always busy, the Kudo's kind of adopted me in everything but in name." Shinichi had to wince internally, no one would buy a story like that. It sounds straight out of the afternoon drama. And yet, the magician nodded with empathy.

"I know how that can be." His arms looked as though it wanted to wrap around Shinichi but settled for a rub on the forearms. "My family is the same, dad died when I was young and mum has been travelling ever since I finished primary school. I'm lucky to have the Nakamori's next door to us. They're like my adopted family these days. But you have it harder don't you?"

The look of pain underneath the violet eyes were such that Shinichi was the one to initiate a hug in the middle of the mall. The magician stiffened under his touch at first.

"It's good that you didn't have to suffer alone." He whispered into the magician's ears softly and heard a sharp intake of air as a reply.

"Um..." It was nice to see the magician become speechless after such a gesture.

"Why don't we go downstairs and walk for a bit. I don't think you'd find this particular floor interesting."

The magician looked at their surroundings and let out a strained laugh, finally realizing they were still standing at the lingerie area.

"Right, it'll look quite strange for me to be here." He offered out his arm once more. "Then shall we?"

Humoring the magician, Shinichi took the arm and let him lead the way towards the elevator all the while finding the magician to be quite the conversationalist as he began recounting some of the more entertaining exploits he had at school. Particularly events involving an _altered_ Hakuba.

"You really don't get on well with this Hakuba person do you?" Shinichi was just recovering from another bout of laughter, leaning heavily onto the magician for support. He knew he should be pitying the English detective for all the traumas he must have suffered but the image that the magician was conjuring made it difficult to feel anything other than amusement.

"Well, he always seem too stiff for a high school student. I guess that's what irked me." He scratched his cheeks, now tinged permanently with pink. "Besides, normal school is boring."

"You would say that." Straightening up, Shinichi put some distance between them. There was some reluctance in the magician's part but Shinichi pretended the sentiments were not shared.

They walked about for another floor before his mother called again to ask them to join her at a particular shop. Thankfully, this time was a shoe shop.

"Our sizes are different. What could you possibly need me for?" Shinichi approached his mother who sat on one of the low sofa surrounded by boots, heels, and sandals of every shape and colour.

"There's a maximum to how much a single customer could buy. Thankfully, both of you are here." She pushed several pairs to each of their hands.

"And they won't be suspicious a male is buying female shoes?" Shinichi glanced over at the magician who seems to be inspecting the shoes he had be handed.

"Yukiko-oneechan, I don't think these would be flattering on you." He dangled out a particularly plain pair of heels. "Not quite your style."

"Hm…" She took the pair in her hands to examine. "You're right Kai-chan! I'm glad you're here to help me."

Shinichi's jaws dropped. The magician had effortlessly won his mother over.

"How about these?" She asked, posing in front of the mirror. The pair were ignoring the shocked detective standing awkwardly to the side, with the magician picking up a pair for his mother to try every now and then. Patiently, he waited until they were satisfied with the selection (they managed to rope Shinichi into searching for certain shoe styles and sizes, never have Shinichi realised how many variations of red exists in the world).

"Again, I must ask," Shinichi found he needed to remind his mother, "wouldn't the cashier find it odd for him to be paying for women's shoes? Or myself for that matter seeing as we're different sizes?"

"They're only putting these limitations to control the number of purchases, not really to deter people from buying." She waved them over, where the cashier gave a knowing smile and began ringing up the goods. She did not comment, probably because it was a common occurrence.

"Now as thanks," his mother said as they exited the shop without the cumbersome bags, "why don't I treat you to some drinks? I think we're all due for some cake and tea." She led them up to the restaurant floor.

They were strapped for choices as every restaurant seems to be offering some sort of High Tea service, all aimed at tired shoppers in need for sugar in their system. His mother pointed out an arbitrary direction and picked out a random shop, stating the shop was "cute" though in Shinichi's opinion, it was horrendous with the amount of pink used. He supposed his mother was still trying to see how far she could push him before breaking (she was probably aiming to have him running out of the mall screaming) and Shinichi was determined not to let his mother have the satisfaction. Though he did have to pity the magician who also had to step into the monstrosity of a shop. There were even fluffy animals set onto the couches.

"Are you ok with this shop?" Shinichi asked out of courtesy as they were led to a table. The fluffy bunny sat staring at them from the couch side of the table. Shinichi was thankful there were two chairs on the other side and made quick steps towards the chairs instead of the couch where his mother took a seat.

"The colour's not as jarring as I expected from the front of the shop." The magician pulled out a chair and offered it to Shinichi. "Especially since there's something even more bright and eye catching than the surrounding decor." His gaze was steady on Shinichi as he tries not to stumble in the processing of sitting down.

"Hm…" Sitting on the opposite side of the table, his mother looked on with a speculative smile.

"What?" Shinichi grumbled out, unnerved by the look on his mother's face.

"Nothing~" She hid her face behind the menu.

"I hear the cakes here are quite nice, though nothing as sweet as the company I'm keeping at the moment." The magician took the seat next to Shinichi, leaning in close to take a look at the menu Shinichi was holding on to. Shinichi wondered whether he should move away, surely such close proximity would be detrimental to his disguise and he really did not want the magician to figure him out _now_ of all times.

"Then...what do you suggest? I'm afraid I'm not a sweets fan…" Shinichi admitted, he knew nothing of all the cake names on the menu. The only thing he knew were safe was the tiramisu, because he recognised the name; the gateau au chocolate, which he knew was chocolate cake; and tarte tatin, which was the upside down cake.

"Hm, I'm personally partial to chocolate…" A delicate finger traced down the list which periodically stopped at certain names, where the magician would look at Shinichi as though to determine the suitability of the choice. "If you don't mind, I'll order for you?"

"Um…" Shinichi hesitated once more, seeing as his knowledge on desserts only extended to so far, he nodded. Trusting the magician to pick something decent and not sugar filled. "Though I'll have a coffee with what you intend to order."

"Black?" The magician seemingly read his mind. "You don't seem the kind to go for the fancy coffee."

"Uh...yea…" Within hours of meeting, the magician seems to have picked out his preferences. Shinichi could not be sure whether it was creepy or was he just that observant.

Shinichi was pleasantly surprised at the chocolate tart that was set down in front of him. He looked at the magician with questioning eyes. The delicate swirls of tempered chocolate was accompanied with berries as decoration.

"These aren't sweet, made from dark chocolate, or so they say." In front of said magician was a slice of heavily decorated chocolate cake with whipped cream and fruit slices to the side. "They should go well with your coffee."

The magician's eyes were rapt with attention when Shinichi reached for the small fork to cut the tart into bite size pieces. Slowly, he lifted a small piece, more crust than chocolate filling, with a blueberry on the fork towards his mouth. The magician seemed to have stopped breathing as he waited for Shinichi's reaction. Shinichi was taken aback when the taste was not sweet. His reaction must have been written on his face as the magician instantly breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness, I thought wouldn't like it." He had a hand to his chest to calm his probably racing heart.

For the rest of their tea time, his mother commandeered the conversation, directing them to the magician's exploits. Shinichi found it comfortable to listen to the magician's words as he savoured the tart and coffee selection.

"Yukiko-san? Shinichi?" A recognisable voice came from behind. "Why didn't you say you were back Shinichi?"

For a moment, Shinichi feared his childhood friend recognised him. That was until he saw her gaze settled on the magician sitting beside him.

"Ara, Ran-chan!" His mother immediately rose from her seat and went to hug the girl. Behind her was Sonoko, her boyfriend, and someone Shinichi did not recognise. When his mother released Ran, she walked determinedly towards the magician's side.

"Shinichi?"

"I'm afraid you have the wrong person." He rose up with flair and a bow. "The name's Kuroba Kaito."

"Oh." She sounded both disappointed and relieved when she looked between Shinichi and the standing magician. Could it be that she thought _he_ was on a date and did not contact her for the same reason, that he found someone else? "And you are?"

"Irie Shiina." No point in hiding now that the magician had been told the name. Hopefully, this would be the last time the name would be used.

"Nice to meet you." She nodded before turning back to his mother, seemingly content to leave the pair alone.

"I wonder why she looked so distressed." The magician commented as he sat back down, turning his head to keep the view of the group behind them.

"Probably because Shinichi-san has been missing for such a long time." It feels weird to be referring to himself as a third person.

"Oh? What has the great detective missing for so long I wonder."

Shinichi bit on his lower lips, not sure whether he felt comfortable telling the magician some semblance of truth or whether he should just say he knew nothing.

"No one knows," Shinichi settled on lying in hopes of keeping KID's civilian identity safe, "though I heard it was because of a case."

"Even the so-called great detective is stumped? I find it quite hard to believe when the police are singing his praises." He poked at a piece of fruit lightly. "Maybe he should enlist the help of his cousin."

"Cousin?" To Shinichi's knowledge, both his parents were single child so there were no close relatives he knew of.

"Yes, surely you've heard of Edogawa Conan if you're that close to the Kudos." There was a hint of suspicion in his voice.

"Oh right. That little kid. He's like a brother to me so it's weird when I hear him being referred to as a cousin." Though the excuse may not hold up to scrutiny, he hoped it was enough to placate the magician.

In the background, Shinichi heard a similar conversation being struck between his mother and Ran.

"Have you heard from Shinichi lately? Or even Conan-kun? He left a message for me saying goodbye but I never had the chance." The sadness in her voice was so prominent that Shinichi had to hold back from instantly calling Ran with his Conan voice.

"I heard about Conan-kun leaving for the States by his mother. The last time I heard from Shin-chan was around two weeks ago. We talked over the phone for a short bit, he told me he saw the Edogawas in Hawaii when he was over for a meeting with a client."

"Did Conan-kun seem sad?"

"He didn't say, but he did say they were in a hurry for the flight transfer."

Ran seemed to have bought the excuse, nodding in understanding.

"When's Shinichi coming back?"

With that, Shinichi began tuning out of that particular conversation and turned back towards his tart. Just in time to see a strange look on the magician's face.

"Is something wrong?" He asked out of concern.

"No, nothing is wrong." He poked at the piece of able some more before resolutely taking a stab with his fork. "I was just looking about for a waiter to see to a refill on your coffee."

Shinichi realised his cup was indeed empty and smiled appreciatively at the magician.

"Maybe water this time." Shinichi suggested as he took another bite of his tart.

"Really," his mother returned with a huff. Shinichi wondered nice had her so angry. "That no good son of mine."

Shinichi frowned, "what did Shinichi-san do this time?" To the best of his knowledge, he did nothing wrong.

"That boy haven't called Ran-chan in a long while and she had been worried sick." She furiously stabbed at her slice of cheesecake as she glared at Shinichi.

"I'm sure it's because Shinichi-san has been busy…" He tries to sound sincere but in fact he had been scared of actually making contact with Ran. He knew what she wanted to say, to tell him that she moved on, but he also dreaded the sadness and the guilt following that particular conversation.

"That boy is avoiding her!" Her glare intensified. "He needs to have his priorities right!"

The rest of the down time was spent in tense silence. Even the ever suave moonlight thief kept his mouth shut and focused on the piece of dessert before him.

"Well, Kai-chan." His mother's mood seems to have raised ever so slightly after the three pieces of cake and the ice-cream sundae. Shinichi wondered for all his mother's moans about putting on weight, her splurging on dessert seems to do wonders. He must remember that the next time his mother comes back because of something his father did (or did not do, depending on the situation). "I'm going off to do some more shopping. You two…"

"Yes, yes. I remember, stay at the mall, make sure to answer your calls." Shinichi rattled off. His mother had been nagging him the same phrase every time he went out of her sight. He was old enough to take care of himself already, why did his mother insist on needing to keep to at her sides.

However, this time the pair were more subdued during their wanderings. The magician offered a comment here and there when they passed through some interesting shops.

"There's really not much attracting your interest in here…" Shinichi commented after feeling the tension to be too thick between them. He wanted that amiable atmosphere between them again, the way they bantered and laughed.

"Well, there's always something that interests me…" He trailed off with a meaningful look at Shinchi.

"How about tell me about some of your hobbies then. Apart from pranking Hakuba-kun and magic, what else do you like?" Shinichi was trying to diffuse the possibility of more strange compliments like the ones the magician had been spurting all afternoon. He still did not know how to respond to such phrases.

He eyed Shinichi up and down in a manner that he felt like he should cover himself.

"By any chance do you cook?" He finally asked, though it was not an answer Shinichi had been hoping for. After spending the afternoon with the magician, he wanted to know more about this once-mystery.

"I can do normal food, I have to take care of myself. But my skills are a bit rusty recently." After all, he did not have a chance to practice when he had been under a meter tall. He was not able to reach the stove properly at Conan height.

"That's good then, seeing as I don't think there could be anything more delectable than you in the whole universe. At least nothing worth having." His comment was so offhanded that Shinichi had not been sure if the magician had been merely commenting about his lack of skills or were actually trying to flirt with him. Once he realised it was an attempt at a pickup line, Shinichi's face immediately flushed.

He could not help but wonder when his torture would end. As much as he liked the magician's company, his constant cheesy pickup lines and overly elaborate compliments was quite embarrassing for Shinichi.

 **-TBC-**


	6. The little green monster rears its head

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: Didn't see this coming did you? With Shinichi is being typical Shin-chan, despite the cosmetic changes, and Kaito is being his own charming self.

* * *

 **Ch06: The little green monster rears its head, and it ain't pretty**

Hearing the females talk about the missing Kudo Shinichi was somewhat of a trying experience. He would have like to admit he had not felt an exceptionally strong emotion towards his Lady, he still like to stick by his nickname for her rather than her actual name, but it was clear that _something_ was budding. Although he never met the detective in person, his praises were often sung within the walls of the police station, regardless of Division, and Kaito was personally tired of hearing that particular name when it was always being compared with his cousin, Edogawa Conan. He was more partial to the younger seeing as he the boy does possess a lot of knowledge for someone so young. But besides that, the mention of Kudo Shinichi by his Lady, just did not feel right.

'But why is it so jarring to hear that name from her lips?' He wondered, eyes trained onto his Lady's reflection on the nearby window display.

While his mind was busy untangling the mess of emotions, he had led them down to the floor showcasing small accessories. By the looks adorning his Lady's face, she did not seem to be overly interested in them. He picked up a hair clip with star motifs and matched it to the unsuspecting girl. Just as he placed the clip onto her hair, she immediately turned around.

"Hm. Even a star pales in your presence." He commented, removing the hair clip at the same time. Her eyes widened and she took a careful step back but had bumped into the table causing several pieces to clatter and fall on the table top. "Nothing could catch your interest I gather?"

"Uh...no, not really. I had never been an accessories sort of person." She admitted as she eyed on a particular piece. It was a green clover pendant on a thin silver necklace. At the end of the clover's stem was a small red heart. Kaito smile, making a mental note to buy that particular piece later, when his Lady was not looking. "I'm not the type to care much about accessorising, like to keep things simple. Plus accessories just...they bring up bad memories you could say."

"Oh." Kaito had to rethink his purchases then. "If you don't mind me asking, what sorts?"

"Well, pins in general. They're quite hazardous as poison could be applied on the tip and could be stuck into a person's blood vessels. Then there are key holders and key chains, I don't have a particular liking towards them. They often become places for hiding evidences or the chains could hook up to something and used as an implement of death. Same with those photo pendants, though they're generally used for holding pills and powders…"

"You know quite a lot." Kaito held back any grimace that would be forming due to the talk of death implements. He was a non-violent thief so there was a harsh dislike for them.

"That's because…" She stuttered slightly, "well, Shinichi-san had come to live with my father and me for a time and death always seems to follow him wherever he goes. You kind of pick it up in his presence."

"Oh." What else could Kaito say about that? Though it did kind of irk him that the supposedly missing detective have been able to spend time with this particular individual rather than trying to win back the heart of his own childhood friend (and by the sounds of it, it should have been his girlfriend as well).

"Yea...that's why accessories doesn't ring a bell with me." Her fingers lightly tapped at her choker, "with the exception of this anyways. I've never worn much accessories."

'So not so much as a dislike but she never found something to fit.' He concluded, which still means he could make the purchase but will probably have to wait for a good time to present it to her.

"Well, as far as I can see, your natural beauty surpasses all the glitter of gems. I don't think you really need to accessorize yourself. But a little bit more sparkle never hurt." He lifted a random necklace, which just happens to be a plain silver heart, and matched it to her skin.

"That's the type of thing you buy for a girl you're trying to woo for a brief stint." She stated plainly before glancing at the table again, this time pick up a beaded bracelet. "This is something you give to a potential girl."

"I take it you're the more down-to-earth romantic rather than the flashy type." He took the beaded bracelet and turned it over in his hands. The wooden beads were quite well made, though the clasps would come off quite easily when pulled in a certain way. There were engravings on the beads itself stating 'eternal love'.

"I'm just not into jewelry or accessories, with the exception of...well...I guess gemstones." The small smile playing on her lips were like a secret waiting to escape.

"We have similar interests then." Kaito said without thinking then realised he said something he should not. His Lady looked at him with amused eyes.

"You? Just an _interest_?" The tone she was using seems to imply something but Kaito ignored it in favour of making up an excuse.

"Well, knowing how to identify a precious gem is important." Kaito looked at the displays on the table again before looking up into the pools of deep blue. "After all, you'll never know when you could encounter an uncut sapphire worth more than life itself."

"You're..." She eyed him speculatively, as though contemplating whether to let Kaito in on a secret.

"Yes?" Somehow, Kaito suspects his Lady to be accusing him of being KID. Heaven knows he had been dropping hints like flies, even though he did not do so purposefully. His Lady somehow has this air about her that says it would be bad to lie to her face as she would ultimately reveal a person's deepest, darkest secrets.

"You're a lapidarist aren't you?"

Kaito stumbled, halting himself just in time with the table. That was not what he had expected. Trust his Lady to come up with the most obscure noun. 'Though that just proves that she has the smarts to back up her looks.' His Lady laughed, voice like a thousand bells chiming at the same time. It sent a tingle through Kaito's spine and he did not mind it one bit.

"Sorry, I just couldn't help myself." She tries to muffle her laughter with her hands, but failing. "You seem the kind to be attracted to beautiful things."

Again this was the second time today he had been accused of being superficial. First Aoko, now his Lady. "Is it so bad to appreciate something beautiful? Flowers attract bees through their colour to spread their pollen, gems attract people's attention with their sparkle and shine to find a new owner. Books have to artificially create an interesting cover to gain recognition. People spend so much time to make themselves presentable so it's only polite to appreciate the effort."

She giggled once more.

"I've never heard someone rationalize their views like that. Most of the time when I point some negative character trait, people tend to become defensive and say ' _is that so bad'_ or something similar." Regaining her breath, and realizing they spent too much time in this shop but not buying anything, she began to walk away from the display in the direction of the doorway. Kaito stared after her as she picked out a small brooch on the way and paid for it at the cashier.

"I thought you said you don't like pins." Kaito offered to carry the small paper bag for her but she refused.

"I did, but I feel bad for not buying something when we bothered them for so long." She shook the bag slightly, "we did mess up their display. So me buying this would be compensation."

'Most girls would not give a single thought to it though.' He did not voice out his thoughts but directed them over to a music store. Hoping this would be more to his Lady's liking.

Immediately, she wandered off to the instrumental sections, though she did pause at a pop music display. There was a brief moment of nostalgic smile on her face when she picked up the CD, and flipped it over to look at the discography. When she left, Kaito picked up the same CD, wondering what it was that caused such a smile.

The CD was a variety CD, featuring musicians like Two-Mix, Kuraki Mai, and B'z, the typical mixture of pop music. Itched with curiosity, Kaito went to pay for the CD, stowing it away on his person, before rejoining his Lady who had a pair of headphones on. She looked to be enjoying herself quite a bit.

"Found something interesting?" He asked when she changed the tracks of the CD preview, she unhooked the headphones from her head and placed it onto Kaito's. He listened to the recognisable tune of Ave Maria. The vocals were hauntingly beautiful, much like his Lady was. "I wouldn't have taken you for a choral music fan." He said, replacing the headphones on the stand.

"Not choral music, just this song. It brings up some of my better memories."

"If you don't mind me being bold in saying, it seems to me you've been having it quite rough. What with you implying most of your memories being dark in nature. Something not suited for a bright individual like yourself." Really, Kaito was not sure whether it was a good idea to offer such advice, "Life is often better had when one does not dwell on the past. Memories are meant to be created anew each day."

She looked at him as though he sprouted a second head.

"I've said something wrong haven't I?" Kaito was sure he must have offended her.

"No," she shook her head but there was no trace of anger on her face. Instead, she looked to be grateful, "not many would actually say it in my face. A friend of mine would just say I'm stupid to be constantly hung up on the past while another would try and have me laugh it off and focus on something, like a competition of wits."

"Maybe because they just haven't seen the real you."

"They've seen through my masks but...I guess they just felt it was something I should handle on my own? I don't know…" She looked to be uncertain, hands reaching for the CD then replacing it back onto the shelves. "Ah, what am I saying. This is just bad conversation isn't it?"

"Not at all." He reached over, stilling her hands on its way to ruffle her hair. Gently, he patted the backs of her hands, noticing they were not the smooth hands of a lady, but those belonging to a person who makes constant use of their hands. The hardened skin around the edges of the middle finger where she would be constantly holding onto a pen, the roughened pads of the fingers that suggests she was used to holding onto something tight with her fingertips. There were a few cuts fresh cuts on her fingers, those akin to paper cuts. But what surprised Kaito was his Lady has yet to pull her hand back.

"Do you, perhaps, like to read?" He produced several bandages and began placing the plaster onto the two newest cut, still an angry red. His Lady flinched and tries to shy away but Kaito kept a strong hold. It was only when he was sure all the cuts were covered up that he released the hand.

"Um..yea…" She rubbed the back of her hands in front of her chest, eyes avoiding Kaito.

"You should really take more care then. A lady's hands are delicate, it would be a shame to see it marred with paper cuts."

"How did you know? Are you a Holmes fan?"

"Heaven forbid no." Kaito did not bother to hide the shudder. The thought of him, a phantom thief, being a fan of the greatest literary detective was a horror. "It must be Hakuba, he must have brainwashed me. Why do you ask?"

"Because you were studying my hands for so long that I thought…" She trailed off but it was clear to Kaito that she was a fan herself.

"I don't have anything against the detective in general. Just Hakuba. I know there's another in Tokyo that had been nicknamed with the Holmes name, and he's a bit more...amiable than that detective."

"You mean Shinichi-san?" She sounded both pained and hopeful and Kaito had to wonder why. Did that detective turn her down badly when she confessed? Or did he do _something_ to her to cause such a reaction? Either way, Kaito's dislike the name emerging from her lips.

"Yes and no. I was thinking of Edogawa Conan. Mascot of TMPD, KID Killer, and Mini-Holmes."

"Oh." This time, she sounded relieved.

They stayed in the music store for a brief period before determining the background music was painful to the ear and stepped back out into the _calmer_ corridors. The very same floor that also held a bookstore, which Kaito had suggested visiting seeing as his Lady held some love for literature. But she quietly refused stating she had already been there earlier and there was nothing on offer. Instead, Kaito led them to less occupied regions of the mall, ending up at the perfumery section.

"It's surprising how people would avoid this particular area in general." Kaito commented, the previous section devoted to cosmetics were filled to the brim with women trying on the various shades of colours. For a short moment, he had an urge to pull his Lady over to one of the counters and try his hand at enhancing her features but he held back, not sure how far he could go with their current acquaintanceship.

"Perfumes are generally high-end products, often imported. So no matter how _special_ the sale is, perfumes never have much of a discount."

Even in the area of different concentrated scents, Kaito could easily pick out the clean floral of his Lady. The smell of fresh grass coupled with the sweetness of lilies and irises were refreshing and enticing for Kaito, who was more used to the smell of rose from his own flower collection.

"Do you wear much perfume?" Kaito asked, hand pulling out a random bottle that had a rather artistic touch.

"Not really. Why?"

'That means the scent I've been detecting were her own body scent?' Kaito turned away from his Lady to hide the blush. He made a deliberate action to place the bottle back in its original position.

"Nothing, just wondering that's all."

"Perfumes are bothersome, they stick to clothes and surfaces. Granted, they can be helpful at times."

"Helpful? How so?" Kaito had the sudden image of seeing his Lady as the dog in Lady and the Tramp. 'Does that make me the shaggy, street dog I wonder…'

"Like when trying to track someone down. Body scents are unique to the individual, even when masked with perfumes, they produce a unique scent." She stated, fingers tapping on her chin as though contemplating which bottle to try (or buy).

"Did you learn that from Kudo Shinichi as well?" Kaito gritted his teeth. Now he understood why his mother said to refrain from mentioning other girls.

"Uh...yea…" She stuttered, delicately scratched her chin in embarrassment. "You know, we can go sit at a cafe or something to wait for Yukiko-kaasan." She offered, probably because she saw how disturbed Kaito was. He had not bothered masking his slight annoyance.

"No, no. It's fine." He placated before taking a bottle and spraying it onto a piece of nearby cardstock. "Here, try this." He offered.

She took the paper, gave it a sniff, and made a face towards the scent. "Too sweet." She commented before giving the card back to Kaito. There were no other words to describe her action other than 'cute'.

Kaito would like to think he managed to know more about his Lady as he observed how she moved about the area. The way she would place more weight on a particular side, probably avoiding an old injury or sprain, how she held her fingers by her chin as she contemplated the design of bottles. Though he would have liked it a lot better if they had not wandered over to the men's section, where his Lady was currently choosing a fragrance it seems.

"Were you looking for something in particular?" He asked as he walked closer towards his Lady, arms touching as he leaned closer and managed to take in her scent once more. Even in the midst of all the heavy musk, the smell of fresh grass was prominent around her.

"Hm? Oh, yes." She answered distractedly, forefinger tapping on her chin again, teeth gently biting on her lower lips. "Aftershave or perhaps a cologne."

Kaito had to bite back the sudden urge of sabotaging her efforts. She had a look of intense concentration as she sprayed several bottles on several pieces of cardstock, then waving it in the air before taking them to her nose. She scrunched up at the first one, placing said cardstock into the trash immediate, but the next few she seems to be internally debating over.

"What's the other person like? Maybe I can help you if I know a bit more?" Kaito reluctantly offered in a gentlemanly manner. However much he disliked having to hear about some other man from her lips, he just could not leave his Lady when she is obviously distressed.

"He likes to read, and likes mystery as well. A bit of a klutz sometimes, and often forget important dates. He has quite a diverse knowledge, though he often uses that knowledge to get under people's skin." She briefly made a face at the mention of that trait. "Has a very sharp intellect and is very observant, quite often one step in front of his enemies and competition. He can be quite cocky at times, which is an annoying trait, but he makes it up for being calm under pressure."

The more she describes, the more it coincides with the description of one Kudo Shinichi. And for that, Kaito really wished he said nothing about helping.

"Then you might want something less pungent. I'm sure your intended would not like to have their scent stuck onto books..." Sighing, he reached overhead for a plain bottle. "Here, try this. I heard it's not too bad, although the scent would be a bit faint."

"You know an awful lot about these things." She was more likely referring to the brief episode in the lady's section of the store where Kaito managed to pick out all the different floral scent of a single perfume, which his Lady had handed to him on a whim. It then went on to his Lady quizzing him and continually handing the different scents up until a point when Kaito sneezed continuously. It was entertaining and enjoying to see the happiness on his Lady's face, how she would light up in laughter.

"It comes with the territory." Kaito nearly gave himself away again. Though if he was honest, he did not mind much if his Lady did make the connection between himself and KID. "My mum often chastises me for not paying enough correct attention to females."

"Just like how 'kaa-san and my friends as well…" Her eyes widened, it was probably something she was not meant to say. "I mean, Yukiko-kaasan, telling me that I've never paid attention to the opposite sex that is."

"You're really close to the Kudos…"

"They're family." She admitted with conviction, taking up on Kaito's suggestion and asked for a nearby sales to bring over a new bottle to the cashier.

"Can I interest you in a _His and Hers_ offer as well?" The helpful cashier offered, motioning to the small poster besides the counter. Apparently there was a buy-one-get-one offer for a perfume and cologne pair. "It's quite popular amongst young love."

After a minute of consideration, his Lady asked the cashier to bring her a perfume that would match her selected cologne.

"Maybe something light and floral, nothing sweet." Kaito added helpfully, to which the cashier nodded knowingly before walking over to the perfume section.

They were presented with a small selection of three bottles. His Lady looked at him expectantly.

"Well, you seem to be the expert, which one?"

Closing his eyes to hide the twang in his heart, Kaito cleared out his thoughts and looked at the bottles. The cashier had already sprayed the cardstock and placed it next to the bottles. With the first bottle, his mind conjured up the image of his Lady dressed in a gown surrounded by a rose hedge in the middle of the night. While that particular image was pleasant for Kaito, he did not want to evoke it where others can see (or smell as the case may be) her. The second was slightly better, smelling of the ocean, though his mind had helpfully linked that particular scent with his Lady in a white sundress and straw hat with her midnight locks blown under the erratic wind. Again, it was a nice image, but not one Kaito would like for one Kudo Shinichi to see when in her presence. The final was quite close to her current scent, with the most prominent being the smell of lily and an undertone of pine. At least this one did not conjure up any image, so with conviction Kaito offered to his Lady the final cardstock he was holding onto.

"How about this one?"

The way she closed her eyes made her eyelash look longer than they should be. She gave a light smile when the scent reached her.

"Smells good." She nodded over to the cashier and the purchases were soon rung up. Kaito once again offered to carry the goods (though he desperately wanted to shatter them for some odd reason).

"Um…" It looks like she was finally not refusing his offer. "If you don't mind, do you think you could, I don't know, hide it away for a while and hand it back to me later? I don't want Yukiko-kaasan to see it..."

Was his Lady shy about having her surrogate, and hated as he wanted to admit a possible mother-in-law, see the gift she bought? But instead of refusing, he plastered on a charming smiled and replied "Of course, anything for you." and quickly stow away the white paper bag.

They walked about the mall some more, pausing at various window displays (though mostly initiated by Kaito for he wanted to judge the reaction of his Lady). Rarely any caught her interest, and Kaito had brought her to the shops he remembered hearing from his female classmates. The watch shop caught her attention, though she was more focused on the men's watches. When he asked for her reasons, she struggled to reply.

"Oh, um…"

Kaito had a bad feeling about her response.

"Well...you see," he realised she bites her lips quite a lot when cornered, "you know how I'm staying with the Kudo's during my time here. I saw how worn one of the watches looked and...um...accidentally knocked it on the ground and it somehow broke. And...I was thinking of replacing it?"

If Kaito remembered correctly, there had only been one person who lives at the Kudo manor on a regular basis, and would most likely be leaving _his_ things around.

"That was careless of him." There was no other answer that would not sound too resentful, so Kaito settled for an offhand comment.

"Yea...he's a bit like that." The small relieved smile on her face did nothing to dissipate the annoyance budding inside Kaito's heart. Thankfully, his phone rang at that very moment, disrupting further dark thoughts and plans of pranks. "Hello?"

" _Kai-chan! Thank goodness you picked up!_ " Kaito was startled by the actress' voice, which was a cross between concern and relief. " _Is she with you? Ask her to look at her phone._ "

"Yukiko-san said to look at your phone."

Startled, she rummaged in her small purse strapped to her belt for the phone. She struggled to actually switch on the screen.

"Oh." She sounded despondent, showing Kaito the black screen.

"Her phone battery's dead." Kaito repeated for the worried actress.

" _No matter then. I've made reservation for a restaurant some ways from the mall. The two of you might want to head there first. I'm just finishing my purchases and these last few stores won't have the buying limit._ " Her voice was directed at the background for the moment, asking for a new shirt or something like that. " _Remember to keep her company._ "

"Dinner reservation?" But before Kaito managed another word in, his Lady grab hold of his wrist and pulled it over to her ears. Kaito became acutely aware of her scent and the softness of skin on skin.

"What do you mean dinner reservations?!" She growled at the speaker, her fingers accidentally hitting on the speakerphone.

" _Why, dinner for all of us._ "

"What are you playing at? Are you still trying to see how far you can get away with?" Her voice was strained, as though debating whether or not to yell into the phone.

" _I'm not trying to_ get away _with anything._ " The giggle in her voice belied her amusement in the situation. " _Besides, you did take up a large chunk of Kai-chan's time today. It's only good manners to repay him._ "

Sensing his Lady's reluctance, Kaito quickly added "No, really. There's no need for that. I enjoy spending time like this. Good, and beautiful, company is hard to come by these days."

She looked at him, her crooked eyebrow rose towards the hairline but before she could continue her rant at the phone's speaker, the other end spoke up.

" _See, what a gentleman he is? You can't go and stampede over his kindheartedness. We've taught you better than that. Besides, do you really want to return so early?_ "

The way she worded it made Kaito feel as though the reason his Lady came shopping was to escape from the house, but with what he remembered, she was staying in Tokyo for a while. Which means she was trying to escape from the Kudo manor. 'Did she have an argument?' While it was quite well known that the Eastern Detective was currently away from Japan, there was still a possibility he returned early and had somehow been on bad terms with his Lady, and his Lady was trying to make amends. Kaito did not like that thought but it was the only plausible reason he could think of.

"You better not have some nasty surprise in store." She growled through the phone. "You know I don't do well with surprises."

" _I remember. Don't worry. It's just a normal dinner reservation._ " Small talk soon gave way to the calling on the other end of the speaker where a sales was trying to gain attention. " _I'll see you two there ok?_ "

The disconnected tone rang loudly through the speakers and the Lady sighed, heaving a large intake of air as her shoulders seemingly slumped.

"Sorry about that. I'm sure you had prior plans this evening. If you leave, I won't mind." She said as she straightened up with an apologetic glint in her eyes. "'Kaa-san, I mean Yukiko-kaasan could be quite forceful."

"Don't worry about it." Kaito beamed. This new development meant he could spend more time with his Lady without having to tail her back to wherever she is staying at the moment. "I said I'll keep you company for the day didn't I?"

"There's reall…"

"No, I insist. Now, let's see where this restaurant is…" He looked back down into his mobile screen, with the intent of searching for the address, but his eyes were still drawn to the forlorn, resigned look on his Lady. Not one to let a damsel in distress fall into the background he looked up once more and gave the most dashing smile he could to soothe her distress. "I hadn't been planning on doing anything save dinner-for-one. Being able to dine with you would be a privilege."

His Lady opened her mouth as though to rebuke but immediately snapped shut and nodded before leaning close to see where the address was. Kaito felt her flinch at the sight of the restaurant name.

"Is something wrong?" He asked with much concern.

"Ah...nothing. I know where that is…" She evaded his eyes and looked towards the entrance. "It'll take around half an hour to get there by public transport, forty-five minutes by foot. If you're up to it, we can walk there…"

She seemed extremely uncertain but Kaito was there to offer his support.

"I'm up to walking if you are." Plus it would allow Kaito to spend more alone time in her presence. He was beginning to take a liking towards just being able to stand by her and enjoy her company, even if she was not much of a conversationalist.

 **-TBC-**

* * *

*lapidarist: an artist or artisan who forms stone, minerals, or gemstones into decorative items such as cabochons, engraved gems, including cameos, and faceted designs.


	7. Walls are meant for falling

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: Yes, you've guessed correctly Symbol of Faith. It's probably too obvious. Anyways, I went back over the last chapter to fix up some of the mistakes (hopefully I remember to click the Save button this time). But I cannot make any promises this would also be error-free, though I should have caught all of them this time (I just realised the amount of errors is in direct correlation to whether I like the chapter or not, in addition to several other factors i.e. tiredness, distractions, intermittent writing/editing).

* * *

 **Ch07: Walls are meant for falling**

Shinichi should not have been too surprised to have encountered the magician inside Beika Shopping mall on a sales special. He had always suspected the magician to have found himself a girlfriend or something, even though he had been vehemently denying it during that ball. But to see the magician standing by himself inside the game center certainly startled Shinichi that he nearly entwined himself with the cord attaching the plastic gun to the game console. The magician, without any sense of self-preservation, had decided to keep him company for the remainder of the afternoon. As much as Shinichi understood that there were no heists nor was he in a white suit today, he thought the magician would try to stay as far away from a detective on his day off, not accompany him when his mother was shopping. And as much as Shinichi had appreciated the offer, he could not help but question the magician's sanity at his actions. Shopping was not something he would actively associate with the energetic magician, neither was the knowledge in women's clothing. Though he should have expected that seeing as the moonlight magician has a tendency to undercover as a woman.

However, it certainly did surprise him when the magician had somehow wormed his way into his mother's heart, with none other than a pair of bright red heels.

'Then again, they do say it's either diamonds, shoes, or clothes that can capture a woman's heart whereas for men, it's food…' Shinichi stared at the menu held in front of his face, hoping to hide away from the magician's gaze. Said magician had been giving him looks for the whole afternoon, most of which Shinichi was able to ignore or distract himself enough to not mind. While the gaze was not threatening, or held with ill-intentions, Shinichi was just not used to being the object of focus outside of crime settings or media frenzies. To counter such gazes, Shinichi had taken to standing closer to the magician than normal friends would, just to stop the magician's actions of trying to look as though he had not been smuggling small glances at Shinichi.

All strange gazes aside, this afternoon was at least been fruitful for Shinichi. Even though he was not able to purchase the book he was after, he did manage to buy his parents their anniversary gift. It would have been better if Shinichi were able to find a new watch, as he really did drop his previous watch and broke it into tiny pieces. Shinichi was trying to look for a cheap one that the Professor could modify to something like the one he had during his Conan days. He would have used the Conan watch, but he gave it to Haibara for protection's sake. With the amount of trouble the Detective Boys always stumble across, someone had to have a means of knocking out criminals and ensuring their safety now that Conan has returned home.

"Yukiko-san is sure late…" The magician's words broke Shinichi from his staring contest with the black cursive words on paper. Placing his menu down, Shinichi looked over at the two empty plates beside them.

"Perhaps she found another bargain and is just checking it out." His mother had a tendency to veer off-course and do her own thing. "We did come here early."

Surveying around the restaurant, many of the tables were still quite empty. Shinichi had to hold back from re-dialing the magician's phone, currently placed conveniently on the table, to reach his mother once he saw the name of the restaurant. Of all the places she could have picked, it had to be the one place his father proposed to his mother. Then again, it could be because of sentimentality or perhaps the food was just that good.

'At least we're not seated at one of those romantic seats…' He turned his gaze towards the wall-to-ceiling glass panes with a table set for two overlooking the Tokyo skyline.

"This is a really nice place though." The magician's voice was soft, perhaps he too was mindful about their environment. They had been told that there was a private dining event going on behind them, on the other side of the partition wall. That and the men had been wanting to propose to the lady of his dreams. Normally, the restaurant would not bother with having a partition wall as it ruins the interior decor but apparently, the woman was extremely shy, to which they catered for her needs and cordoned off a small section just for their use (Shinichi was sure there was an exchange of money between hands, and a lot of shoulder patting).

"She was proposed here. Probably liked it for the sentimental value…" He commented offhandedly, picking up the menu once more.

"P-pro-proposed?" For some odd reason, the magician stuttered. Shinichi peered over his menu, making eye contact, and saw the small tinge even under the dim glow of the candlelight.

"Yea, proposed. By the then recently-retired-detective, newly-turned-small-bit-author Kudo Yuusaku. If I remembered correctly, he said he used all his savings on that single dinner. Of course, it must run in the family seeing as..."

"As…?" Curiosity did not begin to describe the undertone behind the magician's voice. There was a small waver in the tone, as though he was apprehensive about the answer.

"As...um…" Shinichi glanced around, feeling quite unfortunate because they were not seated by the window as the view would have made a convenient distraction. His mouth has once again run away with him, "Shinichi-san." He was still not used to referring himself as third person. At least he hoped this particular habit would not follow through when he shed his disguise.

"Kudo Shinichi...again." The last word was muttered so softly that it sounded more like a whisper had Shinichi not been paying attention. He wondered why the magician sounded so vengeful towards his name.

"Yea...Shinichi-san kind of proposed here…" With nothing much to distract Shinichi, he turned the menu up again. It was one of the not-so-pleasant-but-not-yet-traumatising memories of his Conan days. "He wanted to ask an important question, and he thought this would be the most appropriate place, well, he…"

"You know what." The magician snapped at Shinichi. But Shinichi knew the magician's character was not the type to be rude towards a female. "I think we should order drinks. You know, to stop those waiters from fidgeting."

Shinichi found himself confused by the sudden change in topic but said nothing in return. Instead, turned towards the final page and looked at what was on offer. The usual alcohol was a definite no for the both of them as they were both underaged. It left the virgin cocktails, juice, tea, and a rather large coffee selection. Although knowing it was bad to drink caffeine so late at night, Shinichi could not help himself and ordered a coffee. The magician mirrored his selection and they sat in a semi-comfortable silence as they waited for their drinks.

'Should I strike up another conversation…' Shinichi thought, his hands fidgeting with the small purse on his laps (again, part of his disguise and because his mother had drilled the need for acting in his head ever since he turned back). He glanced upwards to see the magician glaring at the couples seated a distance away.

"Um…" Shinichi struggled for a good conversation topic. He would not, under any circumstances, use the predictable ' _How's the Weather?'_ approach. Not only was it cliche, they were indoors and the weather hardly mattered. Neither would he stoop down to ' _How was your Day?'_ or other such inane topics. The magician would not appreciate it. "Did you manage to buy anything today?" There, that seems to be a rather safe topic.

"Huh?" Whatever had been distracting the magician was broken by Shinichi's voice. "Oh. I did." With a small puff of smoke, just enough to draw Shinichi's attention to the center of the table, a CD appeared. It was the same one he had been looking at inside the music store. "This caught my eye."

Shinichi briefly wondered whether the magician only bought the CD because Shinichi had been looking at it. He mentally shook his head, 'that's absurd. Why would _I_ be the reason he bought the CD.'

"There's quite a few good artists in there. And a good song selection." Shinichi will not offer any more. The look on the magician's face as he hung onto his every word confirmed that he likely picked the CD because Shinichi had shown interest. "I've heard quite good reviews of this CD, even though it's a variety CD."

"Any particular artist that caught your eye? Or ear as the case may be." The magician turned the CD around to reveal the discography. "Many are quite famous already, so I've heard of quite a few of them…"

"Two-Mix has some nice songs, same with Kuraki Mai. B'z I rather like the MV's than just listening to the songs…"

Shinichi was grateful when the waiter came with their drinks at that particular moment for he was running out of things to say. The waiter gave the pair a knowing look before setting the cups down with sugar and cream in the middle. The magician reached for the cream instantly, foregoing the sugar.

"I thought you liked sweet things." Shinichi commented without thinking. He quickly lifted the cup to his mouth to stop it from sprouting any more words without filtering through his brain.

"I do. But I'm in the presence of something much sweeter so there's no need to add any more sugar to my drink." The charming smile from the magician brought heat to Shinichi's cheeks. The nearby waiter had hidden his smile (and possibly a soft chuckle) quite well, if only Shinichi had not been actively looking for something to distract himself, he would not have noticed.

But before any further comments were made, a loud crash came from behind. Twisting around, Shinichi found the partition wall behind him began to fall down. As though everything was in slow motion. Immediately, Shinichi let go of his cup, spilling the dark contents onto the pristine white table cloth. Knowing there would not be enough time to duck out of the way, he shielded his own head with his arms and ducked down. It was better to be bruised than being knocked in the head.

Shinichi braced himself for the impact, but it never came.

When the noises stopped, a shout from the waiter alerted Shinichi to his surroundings once more. He was surprised he did not seem to be hurting from his arm. When he lifted up his head, he saw one of the magician's hands was bracing the table, the other arm against the partition wall.

"Are you alright? You're not hurt are you?" He asked, pushing the partition wall away with the nearby waiter holding up the wall and pushing to the side, where it would be safer. Finally free of the obstruction, the magician straightened up as the manager of the restaurant came hurriedly to their side.

"I am terribly sorry for this. I hope neither of you were hurt." The manager bowed deeply, with the waiter beside him doing the same. Now that the wall was secured onto a more stable surface, Shinichi could see a slumping figure of a man. "Please allow us to make it up to the pair of you."

"I'm fine. How about you?" Shinichi saw the dark stain on the magician's pants, he then glanced to their own table where the cups were overturned and a large smear spread itself across the table, starting from where the magician previously sat at. He figured for the magician to have 'teleported' to his side, he must have slid across the tabletop. He picked up a nearby napkin and proceeded to gently dab away at the stain.

"No no. That's not necessary. I can take care of it myself." The magician's hand quickly stopped Shinichi's from moving and took hold of the napkin. He made quick motions to absorb the liquid, but the stain remained on the jeans. "We're both fine. I think it would be better if you looked over at the man over there."

Drawing everyone's attention was the still slumped man. Though Shinichi could easily see the man was still breathing so there was no need for him to rush over just yet. 'Probably shocked.' Shinichi hoped his assessment of he man's heath was correct.

The waiter walked slowly over towards the man, shaking him by the shoulder seemed to have snapped the man out of his stupor.

"I apologise for what happened…" He came over and bowed. "I...it's really my fault…." He glanced back over at the now upturned table and strewn cutlery.

"What happened?" The magician asked with concern. Empathy was apparent in his voice as the magician walked over. "You seemed to have been thrown across the table."

"Nothing that I did not deserve. I guess...it was bound to happen some time. I knew she wasn't ready so I shouldn't have pushed…" He looked embarrassed, constantly avoiding any eye contact, giving off a strained laugh before turning towards the manager. "Manager-san, would you perhaps set them up somewhere nicer? I should make it up to them for ruining their evening. I'll pay for their meal. In fact I insist. Serve them the same as the course I had ordered but never finished…"

"Really, we couldn't. I mean we were just waiting for someone to come…" Shinichi stood up, hoping to deter the man.

"Actually, your guest called our restaurant a few minutes ago saying she would be unable to attend tonight and asked for the pair of you to dine without her." The manager informed them. "She also mentioned she had tried contacting the pair of you but was unable to connect."

The magician looked over to his side of the table and picked up his phone. No matter how he tapped the screen or pushed the power button, the phone would not turn on.

"My battery must have died as well…"

"Then please, set the pair up with a nice dinner." The man reminded them, handing over his credit card to the manager. "And I'll handle the bills. It's the least I can do."

As the manager went away with the man towards the front counter the waiter directed them towards one of the two seater by the large window. Once the magician realised where they would be seating, he walked briskly to one side and pulled out the chair.

"Allow me." He said, motioning for Shinichi to sit down. Hesitantly, Shinichi took the seat as the magician pushed the chair into the table.

The waiter lit the candle in the middle, casting a soft orange glow to the area. The tables next to the windows were set in a dimmer lighting, to allow diners a better view of the night skyline.

"I wonder what happened to them." The magician asked as they were once again being served by the same waiter. Only this time, the waiter was carrying the small dish of appetizer for the pair.

"He probably proposed. And I don't think there was only the pair of them behind the partition." Shinichi had noticed a velvet box had fallen close to where the man had been sitting. But the stranger thing was the scuffle marks on the carpet. There was evidence of a pair of heels, likely from the woman, low heeled shoes, which Shinichi assumed to have belonged to the man, and another set of treads that matched none of the waiter's leather shoes. "I'm thinking of a jealous ex-lover."

The pair remained silent until the next course arrived with two flutes of champagne.

"We're underaged though." Shinichi gestured at the glasses placed next to the dishes.

"We're aware. This is non-alcoholic sparkling juice." The waiter bowed, leaving the pair in the darkened atmosphere.

"Very observant of these people. Then again, they are in the service industry so they would have to be." The magician sniffed at the offered drink before carefully lifting it to his mouth. There was a moment of grimace, most likely because of the bubbles.

"So?" Shinichi would not risk drinking unless he was absolutely sure there was no alcohol involved. Haibara had mentioned to stay away from alcohol just in case seeing as previously, the APTX could be temporarily countered with alcohol beverages, they do not want to risk the possibility that the antidote may have the same effect.

"Just plain juice. I'm guessing it to be apple but with the amount of gas, it's hard to tell."

Very carefully, Shinichi lifted the drink to his mouth, also making a grimace when the carbonated drink touched his tongue. He had a moment when he wanted to spit it out to empty the tingling feeling, but it was soon replaced by a fragrant taste of flowers. "Interesting."

"I'm guessing it was to make the food taste better." Already, the magician had taken a bite out of the plate of food, intricately arranged to show a flower pattern. "It matches the theme at least." He picked up an edible flower, twirled it around in his fingers, before producing a fresher version of the flower and tucked it into Shinichi's hair. "Beautiful I must say. Beautiful and practical."

Shinichi could not help but turn his head away, flower side facing the magician, to hide away the embarrassment. "But you're an amateur magician as well, surely you classify as part of the service industry."

"That of course I am. I'm a performer through and through, constantly making observations about my surroundings." The magician leaned back in his seat, eyes never leaving Shinichi's face. "Which is why I always take note of beautiful things."

'And yet, you fail to see me for who I really am.' Shinichi internally sighed, slightly disappointed that the thief had yet to realise who he was. At the same time, he was glad that the magician had not realised his identity for it allowed him to spend time with his civilian persona. 'Is that a good thing or a bad thing I wonder.'

Their meal passed with more amicable conversation, Shinichi was told about the shows Kuroba Toichi had put on before and commented that he too saw one when he had been young.

"Where?" The magician leaned on the table, the steam from the coffee made his face look otherworldly, as though appearing from out of reality.

"Back in Hawaii, when I was around 4 or 5." It was also the holiday he spent with Ran.

Shinichi would have happily returned to his meal, if only the magician had not been so curious to ask "What happened?" He nearly groaned but instead purposefully placed down his fork to the side and tries to scramble a version of his holiday that did not give too much away. As much as he wanted the magician to realise his identity, he also knew the method which he would be revealed could potentially be extremely embarrassing.

"Well, I was too small to remember much but Yukiko-kaasan and Yuusaku-tousan were there." Shinichi nearly stuttered at the names. "We stayed at the villa by the beach, gone swimming quite a lot as well. The show I remembered quite clearly though, especially that fire trick where Toichi-san had to escape from a tower of flames, like a phoenix from the ashes."

There was recognition in those amethyst eyes, urging Shinichi to say more. In the end, Shinichi described the show in as much detail as he could. There were times when the magician would lean further in, a smile would form at the edges of his lips. At other times, he would tap or trace his finger on the table surface as though trying to figure out the intricacy to perform the trick. Then there was that one instance when the magician's eyes looked a little bit damp around the corners, possibly remembering the trick himself.

"Were you able to take the stage with your father then?" Shinichi could not help but ask but soon coiled back. "I mean, it must be saddening for you. You don't have to answer."

Shinichi was given a sad smile in return before the magician spoke. "Once, though it was a rehearsal. We were supposed to perform that night but after morning practice, my father asked if I would go grab our lunches from my mother at the station. When I returned to the performance hall…" His breath hitched, fingers tightened around the water cup now empty of its content. Shinichi knew, this was the moment when Kuroba Toichi perished.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked." He apologised, reaching out to take hold of the magician's hands. "It must have been difficult, to come back and find that he's gone."

"Gone was actually quite literal. He went up with the fire. We never did recover anything from the performance hall site. The police declared it an unfortunate accident, but I know better. That was no accident." He let out a strained laugh, long slender hand cover Shinichi's own. "But thanks for caring." Giving a pat on the back of his hand, the magician retreated. "Do you want to order anything else?"

Shinichi shook his head, making a mental note to look through the police records. The magician's firm belief piqued Shinichi's interest.

With the meal finished, ending on a rather dreary note, they called over a waiter to see whether there was any bill that needed settling. True to the man's words, he had already paid for everything, including the two cups of coffee beforehand. The magician then offered to escort Shinichi home.

"There's no need for that." Shinichi tries to decline the offer. "I'm staying in Beika with the Kudo's for now. It's a safe district and the walk from the station is relatively short. I'll be fine."

"It would be ungentlemanly of me to allow a lady to return by herself. Besides, I've already called someone to pick us up by the front entrance." He held out the door for Shinichi, who could not help but shiver in the night wind. The temperature had dropped somewhat and his flimsy leggings and shirt/dress thing was not exactly warm.

Suddenly a warm weight rested on his shoulder. Glancing over at the magician, he saw said magician had shed his own coat and covered Shinichi's body. The jacket smelled of burned charcoal and flowers, two scents that he immediately associated with the magician.

"Won't you be cold then?" Shinichi fingered the lapels of the coat. There were small fluffs of down and feather in the inner lining, no doubt from the doves the magician always kept on his person.

"Of course not." With a snap of finger and a puff of smoke, several doves took perch on the magician's shoulders and head. "I have them to keep me warm. Plus I couldn't let a lady shiver in the wind. You could easily catch your death out in the cold."

Shinichi pulled the coat closer. "You're just exaggerating." If the magician was willing to part with his jacket, Shinichi would make the best use of it.

Several minutes later, a dark car pulled up to where they stood. Out came an elderly man dressed smartly in a suit. If Shinichi did not know any better, he would have thought the old man was a butler. 'Though it's likely he's the personal assistant to KID.'

"Kaito-bocchama. Miss. Hope you haven't waited for long. There was a traffic accident several streets back and all the vehicles were held up." He explained, motioning them towards the vehicle. "I'll drive to Beika first before dropping you off at the house Kaito-bocchama."

Their car ride was longer than usual, because they had to take a longer route to circumvent the accident. Somewhere along the way, Shinichi must have dozed off as one minute he was seeing flashing street lights, the next he was being shaken awake by the magician.

"We're here." The magician's voice was soft like a whisper, not wanting to disturb the silence of the night. "I'll walk you up to the doors." He took hold of Shinichi's hand to lead him out of the car door.

"No, it's fine. It's already late. I can make those few steps back without a problem." Shinichi quickly let his hands drop back to his side, suddenly breaking the contact. For a moment, Shinichi missed the slight warmth it provided before remembering he still had the jacket around his shoulders. He quickly shook off the jacket and folded it into a neat rectangle, offering it back to the magician "Thank you, and here."

"No worries. I'll just sit in the car until you've entered the house." By then, the magician had already opened the front gate, gesturing for Shinichi to enter. In one of his hands was the paper bag Shinichi had asked the magician to hide for him.

"Thank you. I had a great time today." He took back the bag and walked towards the front door. All the while, noticing the intense gaze in his direction but he chose to ignore it in favour of figuring out where to hide the bag until his parent's anniversary.

 **-TBC-**


	8. Scramble eggs, scrambled brains

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: I just couldn't help myself. I mean it is supposed to be a Romantic Comedy...I promise to wrap this up quickly (I'm hoping it won't exceed 20chapters)

* * *

 **Ch08: Scramble eggs, scrambled brains**

Shinichi yawned as he cracked an egg into the bowl, whisking it up with a bit of seasoning before setting it aside. In the background, bacon sizzled in the pan and the coffee percolator rumbled as the dark liquid dripped down to the glass carafe. The smell of greasy fat mixed with strong coffee permeated inside the open kitchen, slowly bringing Shinichi out of his partial stupor. Shinichi had woken up early today, mind too cluttered to sleep any more. All his actions up until this point had been automatic; getting up, brushing, making breakfast. These were the sorts of tasks Shinichi had been used to doing and could do them without second thought. Though he had to make a conscious decision to how much to prepare but with his mother's shopping still leaning on the table legs, it was hard to forget his mother was in the house as well.

His mind drifted back to last night and all its implications

 _The door clicked shut behind Shinichi and he quickly removed the low heels he had been saddled with for the whole afternoon. They may have been low, but it still bit into his foot a little too much. And as though sensing Shinichi's return, his mother immediately popped her head out from the upper floors._

" _Why Shin-chan, how late." She had a devilish smile playing on her lips. "Did you have fun?"_

"' _Kaa-san, what was it so important that you'd rather skip dinner?" Shinichi sighed, sitting on the lowest step of the staircase to rest his feet._

" _So you did have dinner with Kai-chan then? I assume he's been good company, enough so that you return so late in the evening." She did not bother coming down, rather she lean onto the baluster. "You should have invited him in for coffee."_

" _And why would I do that?" Shinichi had to tilt his head back, but immediately regretted seeing the suggestive raise of eyebrows._

" _Because he escorted you safely back home. Surely that deserves a reward." She finally started to descend the stairs. Shinichi made an effort to rummage through the paper bag to locate the brooch, using it as a distraction. He stood up reluctantly and walked the rest of the way up to meet his mother._

" _Here." He held out the small package. "I picked that up when I was with him. Thought you might like it."_

" _Hm…" She peered into the small paper bag and grinned. "So, he's already trying to bribe his way in?"_

" _What?!" Shinichi nearly tripped the last few steps up the staircase._

" _Well, no matter. At least that boy has his priorities straight. Hopefully he'll be as courteous when he meets with Yuu-chan. You might have to brief him when they do meet, you know, to make sure he makes a good impression?" She took out the brooch and pinned it to her robes, admiring the design from the reflection of a nearby picture frame. "Yuu-chan can be hard to please sometimes."_

" _Why on earth would I want him to meet up with 'tou-san? And why would he want to anyways?" Shinichi held onto the remaining bag a little bit too tight and the ropes were beginning to bite into his palm._

" _Because, he's to become part of the family. Surely he would want to meet up with both of us. Possibly in a more formal setting. Oh, and we should meet up with Chi-chan as well. And that elderly assistant of theirs. I heard he's practically family for Kai-chan these days…"_

 _Shinichi ignored his mother's gushing (for the sake of his sanity) and quickly grabbed a change of clothes before heading towards the bathroom. After he finished, he found his mother ambushing him in front of the door._

" _What now?" Shinichi let some irritation show through._

" _How do you feel about Japanese kaiseki? It is traditional after all. There's this great place I know of that also has a nice garden out back, complete with running stream, willows, flowers, and a nice red bridge." She took the wig from his hand and set it on a nearby table before pushing Shinichi towards her room. "It's been so long since I last wore a kimono too…" She eyed him up and down. "Hm...I think you're more of a dark blue rather than the light pastels…"_

" _What are you talking about?" Shinichi had a really bad feeling about where the conversation was going._

" _Why, a meeting between families of course!" She already pulled out a light pink kimono to match it to herself, "how's this?"_

"' _Kaa-san." Shinichi groaned and stood up from the bed he had been pushed into. "You're the fashionista here, not me. I'm going off to bed."_

" _Then does that mean a Yes? If so, I'll start making preparations! Oh, but Yuu-chan wouldn't be back until two weeks later with you in tow."_

" _What?! But the term starts_ in _two weeks!" Shinichi turned back, neck nearly snapping in the sudden movement._

" _You'll be fine. We've talked with the school and you can return a day late. Right now, you're supposed to be in Hokkaido with Yuu-chan. I think it was a case of disappearance or something? And Yuu-chan is doing his book tour." She ignored Shinichi's outburst, focusing on the choice of kimono. "Hm...I think I should go for something darker, navy? Or purple? Or perhaps a nice black with gold embroidery? What do you say Shin-chan?"_

" _I don't really care what you intend to wear for this supposed meeting." He muttered, suddenly losing all his strength. "And what am I supposed to do in the meantime? For the next_ two _weeks? I've already been stuck inside the house for a fortnight and it drove me crazy, you want me to stay here for another_ two _?"_

" _Of course not. Which is why we have Shiina-chan!"_

" _No! No way! I am not going out parading myself in a female disguise again! You'll just have to live with me going crazy out of boredom." Shinichi stomped out of the master bedroom and towards his own. All the while, muttering about delusional former actresses._

Once Shinichi was able to calm down somewhat, he took apart when his mother had said. What she had suggested sounded an awful like a meeting between in-laws and finalisation of a marriage proposal. Unfortunately, he could not be sure whether his mother was joking or if she really were planning a normal family get-together but choosing a more _amusing_ method of informing Shinichi. Sighing, he took the bacon off the heat and started preparing the toast. The eggs will have to wait until his mother actually came downstairs. He remembered hearing the showers turning on a few minutes prior.

Not a moment too soon after the coffee was made, during which Shinichi was readying his very first cup of the day, his mother appeared in the doorway and proceeded to pounce onto Shinichi's back.

"Good morning Shin-chan!" His mother sounded all too happy this early morning. "What's for breakfast?"

"Good morning 'kaa-san." As per usual, he gave her a peck on the cheeks. It was something of a habit for the Kudo's, having adopted more of the western culture. "You know, normally it's the mother who makes the breakfast."

"You need the practice." She returned the peck on his temple before heading out of the house again to fetch the morning papers. The doors opened and shut in quick succession before the patter of his mother's footsteps was heard once more inside the kitchen.

"It seems you've solved another case in Hokkaido." She commented with the rustling of newspaper.

"You mean 'tou-san solved another case. If you haven't noticed, I was a bit busy yesterday? I wonder who's fault that was." He blanked his face, not willing to let it show that he had enjoyed the afternoon. His conversations with the magician were interesting and entertaining. The magician often had nuggets of information he knew nothing about and did not seem to mind when Shinichi began spouting strange facts or observations.

"Now now Shin-chan. You can't deny you haven't had fun yesterday." She leaned over the counter to poke at Shinichi who was just plating up the toast and bacon.

"Oh yes," Shinichi's sarcastic reply made his mother's grin widen, "I had so much fun being humiliated by my own mother and having to pretend someone I'm not."

"It's good practice." She picked up the toast and bite into a corner as the front bell rang. "Must be the morning deliveries." She immediately went over to the video phone with a bright smile and a ready greeting. "Good morning!'

" _Uh...Good morning._ " The voice was familiar but Shinichi decided there was not enough caffeine in his system to begin figuring out who's voice it was.

"Oh Kai-chan! What are you doing here this morning?"

Shinichi's attention immediately sharpen at the name. He dropped the pan straight back onto the stove. The pan clattered, nearly spilling the eggs out onto the countertop.

" _Um...Well, that's the thing. I was trying to contact Irie-chan but I realised I don't have her number. I remembered she's staying with you so I thought I'd pop over._ " There was a moment of hesitance and shuffling in the background. " _I received two tickets this morning to a travelling circus and I was wondering if she would be available._ "

"Of course she would be. Hold on a moment while I make sure she's presentable and let you inside."

When Shinichi turned over to look at his mother, the video phone was already switched off and his mother had an evil grin on her face.

"What were you even thinking!" Shinichi hissed, knowing that any shout could be easily heard by the front door.

"Don't worry Shin-chan." For some odd reason, she already had the wig in one hand with the voice changing choker in another. She even had a pair of her old glasses at hand. Slowly, she stalked over to where Shinichi had been standing by the stove.

"Oh no. Don't you dare." Unfortunately, there was no space for Shinichi to back away from the outstretched hand. He ducked and weaved, but in the end his mother still managed to slip on the wig and choker. "'Kaa-san!"

"Now Shin-chan," she slipped the pair of thin rim glasses over the bridge of his nose, "there's no way Kudo Shinichi could appear right now seeing as the newspaper had just reported the case, which only leaves us with this solution." Her grin, Shinichi realised, must be one belonging to the devil.

"As if he wouldn't realise the moment he sees me. Might I point out these clothes makes it especially easy to identify me as male?" He gestured at the clearly male pajamas he was wearing. He briefly wondered if he was the only one sane and observant in this universe, seeing as a majority of people still seemed to only see his female disguise. 'Or is 'kaa-san that good at disguises?'

"Nothing that couldn't be fixed." She reached over to the side of the fridge and pulled out an apron. Shinichi felt his mother tighten the ties around his waist and protested.

"I can barely breath!" He reached behind to loosen but his mother slapped the hand away and began tugging on his clothes. Shinichi's struggling somehow managed to hasten the process.

"There, that's a more natural look. And don't you dare mess up the masterpiece!" She called before walking out the kitchens.

Shinichi sighed, reigning in the urge to straighten his clothes especially since Shinichi knew he looked more disheveled than having just rose from bed. Groaning, and knowing his mother would probably invite the magician to breakfast at the same time, Shinichi went to start preparing for a third plate of food. He could not help but sneeze when he opened the fridge for more eggs. The exposed shoulder catching onto the cold air.

"Look what Kai-chan brought us!" His mother literally bounced into the room. Shinichi shut the refrigerator door in time to see the magician do a double take and eyed the box in his mother's hand.

"Muffins?" He could smell the sweet chocolate from where he was standing. He bet they just came out of the oven as well. "Homemade?" The box was a giveaway as it had no logos or marking suggested it was store bought.

"I heard from Chi-chan you make the nicest cakes and pastries." She was pushing the magician towards the chair with a clear view of the stove. "Now, we have tea, juice and coffee. What will it be?"

The way she beamed at the magician caused both males to shudder. Shinichi chose to ignore her and began pouring a cup of juice for the magician.

"You didn't seem to like coffee that much yesterday." He remembered how the magician had grimaced during their time at the cafe, then again at the restaurant. At both times, they were drinking coffee so Shinichi figured the magician would have preferred something sweeter. Unfortunately they ran out of hot chocolate powder so the next best thing would be the apple juice from the fridge.

"Oh, uh. Thanks. You really shouldn't have bothered." As Shinichi handed the cup over, their fingers lightly brushed against each other. The magician suddenly flinched and Shinichi thought he hurt him. Fingers were a magician's lifeline after all.

"I'm sorry." Shinichi quickly retracted his hand, cradling it in front of his chest. He was not sure why but Shinichi felt it was his fault that the magician reacted to his touch.

"No! No. Not your fault." The magician leapt up and held onto Shinichi's hands.

"Ahem." His mother coughed into her fist. "The eggs will burn." She nodded her head towards the stove and Shinichi just managed to catch the first whiff of grey smoke in the air. He hurried over in hopes of salvaging the food. The eggs were thankfully not burnt but it was not something he would be serving to a guest. Instead, he grabbed the dish intended for himself and placed it in front of the magician.

"I hope you don't mind cooled scrambled eggs." He said softly, pushing the plate into place. The magician quickly sat down and seemingly admire the plate of food. His mother tries to hide the evil smile behind her mug but Shinichi noticed and he cast over a glare before taking a seat to the right side of the magician, directly opposite of his smug mother.

"Well, the two of you would probably be busy for the whole day of today I assume?" She turned to the magician, blatantly ignoring Shinichi's widened eyes imploring her to stop her nonsense. "I hope I can trust you to take care of her today Kai-chan."

"Of course Yukiko-oneesan. I'll lay down my life for her if needed." He bowed slightly before turning back towards Shinichi. "And many thanks for your gracious food dearest Lady. It is every bit as wonderful as your visage this morning."

"My face in the morning is not something worth comparing to." Shinichi deliberately took up his coffee mug, still half full, to refill at the counter behind him just to escape the magician's sincere eyes. He could not help but feel warm as the magician complimented his food. He knew they tasted fine seeing as he had been living off his own cooking before Conan-times. But to hear someone, other than his own parents, compliment his food was a first.

Shinichi looked over towards the white box at the end of the table. "Shall I heat up the muffins?" He opened the box to reveal three dark brown and three light brown muffins. The magician shook his head.

"I remembered you don't like sweet things all that much so the light ones are lemon flavoured. The dark ones are dark chocolate, hopefully to your liking as well. You seemed to have enjoyed the tarts yesterday at the cafe." The magician nibbled on the toast, his next words were muffled with his bite. "They're freshly baked so there's no need to heat them up."

"Did you make them this morning?" Shinichi just wanted to confirm, taking up one of the still warm lemon muffins. He carefully peeled back the wrapping and broke off a small piece to taste. He could practically hear the magician holding his breath as he chewed. "They're really nice." Shinichi was surprised, he never would have thought the magician was a skilled chef as well.

"Glad you liked it." The magician beamed at Shinichi, eyes bright, with a large smile adorning his face. It was as though the whole room had shone brighter, more than the rays of sun from the nearby window could do. Shinichi wondered if the magician was hiding any LED light strips on his person to produce such an effect. It was not natural for a single person to be so blinding.

"Well, I see I'm not needed anymore." His mother's voice broke through whatever spell was cast in the room and instantly, the area returned to normal. Shinichi had to blink a few times to make sure there were no remnant light effects lingering as shadows in his eyes. "I'll just head upstairs."

The moment his mother left the room, the atmosphere grew to an awkward silence. Shinichi knew he should make a comment, or start a conversation, but all his words had suddenly left him. Instead, he looked around the table and saw the empty cups and plates. Not wanting to leave them out in the open, he began collecting them up.

"Let me help." The magician was quick to his feet, stacking up the plates into a small pile with the cups and cutlery set on top. "It's the least I can do since I intruded into your breakfast."

"It's nothing." Shinichi took the pile of plates from the magician's hands. Once again, their fingers brushed against each other. But instead of the magician flinching, it was Shinichi who nearly let go of the stack of fragile items. If the magician had not been bracing, everything would have come crashing down into a large mess.

"Why don't I carry it over to the sink and have them started? Maybe you can wipe down the table?" The magician offered, though not expecting a reply as he was already depositing the dirty dishes into the sink and started filling it up with water.

Shinichi clenched his fist, taking a deep breath to calm himself, and tried to ignore his reaction towards the magician's skin. It was an illogical reaction and Shinichi put it as left over paranoia from his Conan days, of the time when he vehemently disliked touches of any kind because it had reminded him of a kidnapping gone wrong. Until this day, he was still trying to forget the traumatic experience of being locked up, sensory deprived with the exception of strange touches to his skin that felt like crawling insects. He tries to shake the thought away, so not to give the magician a cause for concern because of his sudden stillness.

Taking another deep breath, he walked over to the sink and rinsed out a nearby cloth, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the magician who was extremely concentrated on the soap suds and sponge.

Once the table was spotless, Shinichi walked back towards the sink intent on helping with the washing and drying.

"Why don't you go get ready? I can manage them here." He offered, with some soap suds stuck on the tip of his nose. Shinichi could not help but chuckle. "What?"

Shinichi pointed at the nose tip and the cross-eyed look on the magician only drew more laughter. When the magician realised what happened, he was already dipping his hands into the bowl of soapy water and Shinichi knew it was time to retreat.

"I'll go up and change then." He walked hastily out the room to avoid any potential water fights. He knew his mother would not mind the subsequent mess should there really have been a water fight (she would actually join in as a matter-of-fact) but he really dislike having to clean up afterwards. Still chuckling, he hoped his mother had been gracious enough to pick out a wardrobe for his disguise. He doubted it would be good manners to wear the same thing he wore yesterday.

 **-TBC-**


	9. Magic is cooked up in the kitchens

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: This chapter jumps back a little bit in time to see the (disturbing? mushy? insane?) mind of one Kuroba Kaito. The exact timing is after Shin-chan was escorted home after the dinner at Beika Hotel but before/during the time when Shin-chan was ambushed by his mother. This is what happened on the other side of the gates. I promise the date will happen in the next update.

* * *

 **Ch09: Magic is cooked up in the kitchens, not the workshop**

Kaito watched as his Lady cautiously walked into the dark house. The shutting of the front door sounds extremely ominous and final. As though it signified to Kaito they would never meet again. But Kaito was reluctant to let this meeting be their last.

"Kaito-bocchama? Who was that girl?" Jii asked in from the front seat with concerned eyes. "Is she a detective as well?"

"Why do you say that?" Kaito refused to believe his Lady could be a detective, even though she had a love for the literary detective as Kaito had found out during their conversation.

"Well, she is living with the Kudo's. It's only safe to assume she was training to be one as well. Both Kudo males are well known for their love of mysteries, with the father being a prominent mystery author and the son a star of the Metropolitan Police."

Kaito could easily see why Jii would be concerned. He was afraid this girl would reveal KID's true identity and bring about calamity to Kaito.

"Don't worry Jii-chan. She's a good person." He relaxed into the seat. "A kind and gentle soul."

"If you don't mind this old bag of bones saying so," it was strange to hear Jii suddenly becoming solemn and serious, "are you perhaps pursuing the young lady then?"

"Of course not!" Kaito sat up straighter, his Poker Face slamming in place. 'Well, at least not yet.' He mentally added. He had several ideas but none of which could be put into actual motion unless certain conditions were met. One of which included laying KID to rest and finding Pandora. Though that did not mean he would not keep in constant contact with his Lady, just to make sure she was _safe and protected_ , in all senses of the word. It might mean some change of colouring, it might mean some shrill screams, it might also cause some intangible damage (read: extreme trauma) though nothing too permanent. All Kaito knew was that he would do his best to protect his Lady.

Jii had a knowing smile on his face, as though he detected Kaito's lies but was not going to call out on it. "Well, I just so happen to have a few tickets to a show tomorrow that I couldn't go. I thought perhaps bocchama could take it off my hands, and perhaps bring along a lady friend." He teased, holding up and waving the two tickets in the rear view mirror. "But if bocchama was sure he was not pursuing the young lady, then it would be best to give it to someone more deserving. After all, no one likes to get their hopes up."

"What's the show?" Kaito blurted out before thinking. He knew he just fell into Jii's traps going by the grin on his face. "Ok, fine. I may have a certain...strong feeling towards her. But not to the extent you're thinking of Jii-chan."

"Bocchama," Jii shook his head, "denial is not a good hobby to pick up. If she's as nice a soul as you perceive her to be, don't miss the chance. Or it'll end up like..."

There's no need to actually say it out loud when Kaito grimace at the mere implication of the sentence.

"But really, I might have even lost that chance before it began." Kaito slumped into the seat once more. "She's on really good terms with the Kudo's, especially with Kudo Shinichi from the looks of it."

"Don't give up so soon Bocchama." Jii waved the tickets once more. "With all the recent news articles, it's suggesting the young Kudo to be far away from the young lady. You might still have the chance. These here might just be the excuse you need."

Kaito reached out to take the tickets off Jii's hands. "A circus?"

"Cirque de Lune to be exact. A fantasy-like circus with hauntingly beautiful singing and death defying stunts. I'm sure the pair of you would enjoy it."

"No magic tricks?" Kaito looked hopeful. As much as he loved magic, seeing magic performed by others was not really interesting for him. Most shows he had been to ended up with him being bored part way because he saw through all the tricks or the choreography was particularly bad. So far, there are only a few magicians' shows worth going to, a majority of which are currently performing in Las Vegas.

"None whatsoever." Jii left Kaito to stew in the back seats as he turned on the ignition and started the journey back to Ekoda.

"Alright then, I'll give it a shot." Though Kaito could not be sure whether his brain was indicating the circus or actually taking up to pursue his Lady.

That very night, after Jii dropped him back home, Kaito stared at the tickets lying inconspicuously on his desk. He reached out to touch the tickets, only to curl back onto himself the instant it made contact to the paper.

"Why am I flinching." He muttered, squeezing his hands into a fist before releasing them in an attempt to relax. "They're only tickets and I'm only _thinking_ about it. Not that I would want to waste these tickets though. They are hard to come by and Jii would not appreciate his gifts being wasted."

He slumped into his desk chair, bringing his knees up to his chin. He did not bother turning on the light, so his only source of light was from the moon. It cast a silvery glow to his surroundings and the tickets seem to be glowing under such lighting environment.

"I've heard a lot of good things about Cirque de Lune. It's said to be a spectacle and the tickets are really hard to come by. But what if she doesn't like the circus, or if she's seen it already? Would she even be free tomorrow? She is here on holidays so it's only safe to assume she already had plans." Kaito stared at the flimsy paper, hoping that it would somehow answer his questions. He then looked at the phone that was charging to the side, he had yet to turn it back on. Probably as a form of procrastination rather than reluctance. He knew Aoko would have tried to reach him in hopes of finding out what happened this afternoon. "Maybe Aoko can help? But it's already late."

Glancing out the window he saw his childhood friend's windows had its curtains drawn but was still brightly lit. Deciding he could risk having his ears shouted off, he switched his phone on and waited before dialing a series of numbers he already had memorised.

" _Kaito?_ " Aoko sounded concerned, but considering it is near midnight, she had every reason to.

"Hey Aoko. You're still up at this hour?" Kaito saw how the curtains fluttered opposite of his window as Aoko pulled open the fabric and beamed from the other side.

" _Aoko should say the same for Kaito as well. Did Kaito really just return home? Aoko had expected Kaito to return earlier._ "

"Yea. I ended up having dinner outside. I should have contacted you but my phone ran out of battery." Kaito leaned onto the ledge.

" _So? Is Kaito going to tell Aoko about this girl?_ "

Even from this distance, Kaito could swear he saw Aoko wag her eyebrows. She leaned outwards of the window as though wanting to physically shorten the distance.

"There's nothing really…"

" _Don't try to lie to Aoko. Aoko could clearly see Kaito likes that girl, else why would Kaito suddenly abandon Aoko?_ " She did not sound mad or angry at being left alone, though there were hints of curiosity.

Kaito was not sure where to begin. After a moment of silence, Aoko urged him to speak.

" _Kaito, you like, no_ love _this girl don't you?_ " Aoko sighed, " _Kaito is really helpless with emotions._ "

"Hey!" Kaito reacted to the jab. "I'm not emotionally stunted!" He did not think denying his attraction towards his Lady would help with his cause at the current moment. Aoko would more likely nag until Kaito admitted outright he felt something _special_ for his Lady.

" _No, Kaito is overly emotional but likes to hide it behind a happy smile. Don't think Aoko never noticed._ "

Kaito realised how much he underestimated his childhood friend. Aoko was more observant than she portrayed herself to be. 'Maybe that's why she's attracted to Hakuba of all people. He's a detective and generally detectives are observant. I guess they're likeminded?'

" _Kaito needs to stop hiding and show his true self. Especially towards this girl she likes. Not everyone is like Aoko._ " And despite their mutual attraction to each other in their younger years, both had come to realised they were not meant to be. Yet, both still held the other as an important person in their lives.

"And what do you mean by that?" Curiously, Kaito wondered what his childhood friend/pseudo sister saw in him.

She pointed directly at Kaito from her room. Kaito could practically feel her jabbing her fingers in his chest. He briefly wondered if his childhood friend had some sort of telepathic ability he did not know of.

" _Aoko means Kaito should stop wondering and go for it. Kaito did suddenly run off at the mall because of that girl, whom Kaito has not even told Aoko her name yet._ "

"Irie Shiina. Her name's Irie Shiina. She's…" Kaito was not sure how to describe his Lady for he felt all the vocabulary in the world is not enough to describe her beauty. "Well, I guess she's our age, tall, and fair skin."

" _Let me guess, blue eyes and long dark hair? Quite athletic as well?_ "

"Um...I guess? I'm not sure. I've only seen her play a video game so...But I do know she plays sports. And has a love for classical music." Kaito slowly listed all his observations before coming to a sudden halt. "Hey, how did you know what she looks like?"

" _It's not hard to guess Kaito's type. After all, Saguru had commented that Kaito had been paying quite a lot of attention to a few of the girls in class, all of which had long dark hair. The blue eyes thing was more of Aoko seeing how Kaito would suddenly take notice in those blond foreigners, always looking at their eyes. They generally have blue eyes..._ " From all the way in his bedroom, Kaito could feel Aoko dissecting him with only her eyes.

"I…" Kaito was speechless, he had nothing to defend himself. It was true that every time he saw blue eyes, his gaze would be immediately drawn to the owner of the eyes. Even when he passed by shop windows, his eyes would be immediately drawn into sapphire jewelry. He often wondered why that was the case.

" _See?_ " Aoko sounded too smug. Kaito wished there was some way he could wipe that tone from her voice. " _Now, apart from the physical beauty, Aoko's sure Kaito noticed some other things as well_."

"Haven't I said that already?" Exasperated, Kaito had initially wanted to call Aoko to solve his conundrum. But now, it turned out to be an interrogation instead. "Look, if you're just going to grill me for information, I'll take a rain check."

" _Fine, fine. Aoko won't ask anymore. But before Aoko hangs up, what is it that Kaito wanted to ask of Aoko?_ " Her teasing tone gave way to a concerning tone, subtly urging Kaito to voice out his worries.

"I guess, I just needed a female's opinion?"

" _Were you intending to buy this Shiina-chan something?_ "

"No. Not exactly." Kaito hesitated. Was it really wise to ask Aoko this question?

" _Then is Kaito intending to do something embarrassing?_ "

"By which you mean…?"

" _Like proclaiming your love with fireworks in the middle of a large festival? Or declaring your intention with a parade of animals? Delivering a rose petal shower in the middle of the street?_ "

Kaito winced, thankful that it was a normal phone conversation and not a video conversation. Those were the kinds of action he would love to make but hearing them phrased like that from Aoko made him think twice.

" _Looks like Aoko was right._ " Another sigh echoed through the speakers. " _Well, if that's what you want to do, Aoko would not stop you. But don't say Aoko did not warn you! You'll only scare Shiina-chan away like that._ "

"OK. I get it now! No grand gestures! Sheesh." Kaito quickly scrapped the plans he had, though he did not discard them altogether. 'Perhaps I can still salvage some of them, like the flower petals one. All girls love flowers.'

" _Then it leaves only one conclusion. Kaito is intending to ask Shiina-chan out on a date. About time too if Kaito is so attached to her already after so few meetings_."

"It's not a date." He mumbled, knowing that any shouting would only cause a sore throat and there was no way to derail Aoko from thinking otherwise. "I'm only thinking about asking her to go to a show with me. It's nothing fancy or anything. But if I ask her, and since we're not really close, it'll seem like I'm desperate or something." Kaito ranted, not sure why he had the urge to tell Aoko his unsettling feelings. Perhaps it was because he always viewed Aoko as someone close like family, or perhaps she is the only one Kaito could trust with most of his secrets (KID thing notwithstanding, that is more of a family secret rather than a personal secret). Aoko has always been the target of his attention, his faithful friend, a caring sister, and audience (sometimes guinea pig) for his magic tricks. She is a constant in Kaito's life that he felt comfortable with.

" _Then ask her out already! If you already have tickets, what are you waiting for you idiot!_ " She shouted, voice heard from both the speakers and through the opened windows. " _Unless Kaito feels scared at the prospect of being rejected. Still, at least you've tried. And if she actually refused, Aoko will go with Kaito to compensate._ "

"Who'd refuse me?" Kaito tries to sound confident but in fact, he could never be too sure. His Lady was unlike any of the females he met.

" _Everyone once they know of your skirt flipping habits._ " Aoko growled, obviously considering the best way to have her revenge. " _But seriously Kaito, you'll never know until you've tried. Maybe bring along something nice when you ask, something you know she'll enjoy._ "

"A gift eh?" However, that brought about another set of problems. It would be impossible to buy anything this late at night, unless he went to downtown Tokyo for the 24hr stores. He could try tomorrow, but he would be strapped for time then.

" _Maybe bring her something homemade. Cakes or something like that. Kaito makes great cakes after all._ " Aoko suggested, as though reading his mind.

"Not a bad idea. Only she doesn't seem too keen on sweet things." Kaito only know of a few recipes that did not include chocolate.

" _I'm sure you'll think of something._ " Aoko tries to reassure Kaito as best she could. " _Though you better sleep now if you want to be fresh tomorrow._ "

"Alright, alright. I know when I'm not wanted." Kaito joked, chatting for a few more minutes before cutting the connection. He felt slightly better after talking with Aoko and felt he could sleep easier.

The very next morning, Kaito woke up before the sun even rose. There was a moment in bed where he did not feel like doing anything, but one look towards his desk, where the two flimsy paper ticket was placed underneath his mobile phone had Kaito jumping up and flinging his blankets to the floor. He made quick work of his morning chore, though stumbled when looking for clothes. Descending down the wooden staircase, he began going through known recipes in his head, coming up with a muffin recipe. He opened several cupboard to look for the ingredients, only realising he might not have enough.

At the end, Kaito made a full batch of chocolate muffins and several muffins with nuts and fruit. He selected six of the best looking ones out all eighteen muffins and placed them in a white box. Another six went into a plastic box, which he would put into the Nakamori's letter box. The rest, not so good looking ones, were kept on a covered plate on the dining table. Those would most likely be devoured by Kaito before the week was through.

Kaito mentally debated whether to ask Jii for a lift but decided the day was too early and Jii had probably been busy last night at the Blue Parrot. He glanced over at the large clock, showing a little after eight. Quickly, he cleaned up the rest of the kitchens and left the dove chute open before grabbing his gift and headed over to Beika.

The long train ride gave Kaito time to think. He tapped his foot incessantly, in a fit of nervous energy that earned him some annoyed stares from nearby passengers. He would have called his Lady but he did not have her number. Calling up Kudo Yukiko to ask for his Lady seems a bit too excessive, which was why he would be actually paying a visit (and with a gift as well).

A quick walk through the waking shopping district had made Kaito consider whether his gift would be appropriate. 'Perhaps I should have just bought a cake or maybe even flowers…' He was confident his muffins tasted great but he could not be sure if it were to his Lady's liking.

None too soon, he was standing in front of the imposing gates to the Kudo residence. His finger hovered over the bell on the gate columns, hesitating to push down on the black plastic covers. It was his dove, who had taken to sitting on his shoulders ever since they left the train station, that pushed the bell for him. By the bird's beady eyes, it seems even his dove was annoyed at his hesitation.

" _Good Morning!_ " A melodious voice sounded. Kaito made sure to smile for the camera located just above the speakers.

"Uh...Good Morning." He shuffled his legs slightly before standing straighter. He absentmindedly dismissed his dove so she would sit on a nearby tree. The dove huffed before taking flight and rested itself on window ledge as though to mock Kaito that she can enter but he cannot.

" _Oh Kai-chan! What are you doing here this morning?_ " She did not sound all that surprised.

"Um...Well, that's the thing. I was trying to contact Irie-chan but I realised I don't have her number. I remembered she's staying with you so I thought I'd pop over." There was a moment of hesitance. He shuffled the box in his hand, moving it from left to right then back to his left. "I received two tickets this morning to a travelling circus and I was wondering if she would be available." Kaito held his breath hoping that the semi-retired actress was not a protective chaperon and denied Kaito's entrance.

" _Of course she would be. Hold on a moment while I make sure she's presentable and let you inside._ " There was a buzz on the gate speakers, telling the gates were unlocked. Carefully, he pushed open the iron gates as though they would suddenly electrocute him (something his mother had done before to prank him).

Kaito admired the small front gardens, with the well kept grass and flowers. He wondered whether it was Kudo Shinichi, the regular inhabitant of the Kudo residence, who made sure all the vegetation were kept green and healthy, or perhaps it was his Lady who made sure to water them when she came by. It was well known that the Kudo parents constantly travels around the globe, which left their son in charge of the residence. Yet Kaito could not picture the stoic and cold detective to know how to take care of plants. His Lady, on the other hand, fits the picture perfectly.

'She seems the type to enjoy the sun and outdoors. Having her hands in the dirt as she straightens the plants and pull out the weeds…' Kaito could picture his Lady wearing denim overalls and a white blouse, with a stained apron tied around her and her hair up in a ponytail. He could imagine the satisfied smile on her when she saw a flower bloom, or the way she wipes her forehead clean of sweat but in the end dirtying her own skin and scrounging up the eyebrows in annoyance.

"Kai-chan?" Yukiko's voice startled Kaito from his stare at one of the clusters of flowers. He quickly straightened up and turned to face the Kudo matriarch.

"Good morning Yukiko-oneechan. You're looking lovely this morning." He beamed at her with the most charming smile he had. "I hope I have not disturbed you too early."

"Of course not! It's lovely to see you this early. Come in, come in. We're just having breakfast." She motioned for Kaito to enter the house. "You should join us."

"But I shouldn't intrude…" Kaito thanked her for the guest slippers before slipping them on. "Oh, and these were made this morning. I brought some over for everyone to enjoy."

"Smells lovely." She took the white box from his hands the pushed him towards an opened doorway, where sounds of clattering and a fridge door opening could be heard.

"Look what Kai-chan brought us!" She yelled the moment she stepped through.

Kaito muttered a soft "Excuse my intrusion" before entering but was quickly brought to a sudden halt. In front of the open fridge stood his Lady, dressed in pajamas, an apron wrapped around her clothes to stop any accidental spillage (and the way the ribbon tied around her waist just accentuated her figure). Her hair was untied, left to sway on her back, and a pair of thin wire-rimmed glasses sat atop of the bridge of her nose. However, what made Kaito halt was the way skin had been exposed around her shoulders and neck. It was clear these were not her own pajamas, as they were of a male design, and were probably slightly larger than her frame. The neck of the shirt dropped off to the side, revealing her shoulders (and revealing the fact that she was not wearing anything else underneath the shirt. Kaito had to stop himself from thinking too much in case his nose bled). Kaito suspects the pajamas belonged to none other than Kudo Shinichi, who would be the only one to have clothes her size, and felt he disliked the thought. Perhaps he could convince her on another shopping trip just so his Lady would not need to wear Kudo Shinichi's clothes. Or perhaps he could purchase something as a gift to her.

"Muffins? Homemade?" She sniffed the air and pointed out. Kaito wondered how sensitive that nose was to be able to pinpoint something like that.

"I heard from Chi-chan you make the nicest cakes and pastries." The actress pushed Kaito towards a seat with the view of the stove. Kaito had resisted at first for the seat would allow him to be extremely close to his Lady, who seems to be the one doing the cooking this morning. "Now, we have tea, juice and coffee. What will it be?"

The way she beamed at him suggested she would not take 'No Thank You' for an answer. Neither does it seems like 'I've eaten' could be used. Kaito gulped and shuddered, wondering if it would be rude to just say water.

"You didn't seem to like coffee that much yesterday." His Lady walked over with a cup of apple juice in her hands, handing it over to Kaito.

"Oh, uh. Thanks. You really shouldn't have bothered." Their fingers brushed against each other as Kaito reached to take hold of the cup. His breath hitched as a combination of warmth and electricity coursed through the slim digits and up his heart to settle somewhere at the center of his chest. He could not help but tighten his grip on the cup reflexively.

"I'm sorry." She quickly retracted her hands and cradled them. Kaito leapt up from his seat and took those hands into his own. The way he reacted must have startled her.

"No! No. Not your fault." He reassures her. It was he who had been overreacting and she should not have to apologise. Although the previous touch seemed to electrify Kaito, the current touch was extremely comfortable and Kaito was reluctant to let go of the silky smooth hands.

"Ahem. The eggs will burn." Yukiko reminded them, signalling towards the stove which grey smoke was just starting to appear. His Lady was quick to respond and launched herself towards the stove and immediately took the pan off the heat. She heaved a sigh of relief before frowning. Kaito figured the eggs must have burnt slightly. It seems his Lady aims for nothing short of perfect in every action. She plated the slightly burned eggs onto a white plate and took all three to the table.

"I hope you don't mind cooled scrambled eggs." She said softly, pushing the plate into place. Kaito could not help but stare at the food. This must have been made before Kaito even stepped foot into the residence so in all likelihood, it would have been her plate of food. He suddenly felt guilty for having taken it from her. He would have settled for the burnt eggs.

She took her seat next to Kaito, directly opposite of Yukiko, and tucked into the food. Kaito dug into his own, though from the corner of his eye, he watched his Lady as she delicately separated the egg and placed them onto the toast.

"Well, the two of you would probably be busy for the whole day of today I assume?" Yukiko asked, looking directly at Kaito. "I hope I can trust you to take care of her today Kai-chan."

"Of course Yukiko-oneesan. I'll lay down my life for her if needed." Kaito assured her with a slight bow before turning to thank his Lady. "And many thanks for your gracious food dearest Lady. It is every bit as wonderful as your visage this morning."

"My face in the morning is not something worth comparing to."

Kaito watched as his Lady tries to hide behind the action of refilling her cup. Everything he said thus far were his sincere thoughts; that he really felt the food his Lady made were the best and most wonderful thing he had ever tasted, that the look of his Lady this morning was more beautiful than the morning sun. However, as great as his abilities in charming the coldest of ladies, he did not seem to be able to correctly convey them towards his Lady.

"Shall I heat up the muffins?" His Lady offered, opening the white box. Kaito had to hide his nervousness behind a bite of toast.

He shook his head, "I remembered you don't like sweet things all that much so the light ones are lemon flavoured. The dark ones are dark chocolate, hopefully to your liking as well. You seemed to have enjoyed the tarts yesterday at the cafe." He nibbled on the crust, carefully avoiding the jammed center. "They're freshly baked so there's no need to heat them up."

"Did you make them this morning?"

Kaito watched his Lady delicately peeled back the wrapping before breaking off a small piece and putting it into her mouth. He held his breath as he waited for his Lady's comments. He had placed all his hopes in the lemon muffins, the only recipe he knew of that contained the least amount of sugar yet still tasted like sweets. He made a mental note to start researching for other non-sugar based recipes.

"They're really nice." The small smile on his Lady's lips were much more than any prize Kaito could receive. He let out the breath that he unknowingly had held, watching as his Lady took another bite from the muffin.

"Glad you liked it." Kaito could not help but smile from the bottom of his heart. Her heartfelt compliments did wonders to Kaito's nerves. His Lady looked extremely concentrated at finishing the muffin and Kaito vowed to try out more lemon-based recipes to see the different reactions he could elicit from her.

"Well, I see I'm not needed anymore." Yukiko's voice managed to startle his Lady for Kaito saw her nearly jumping out of her seats. He frowned slightly, wondering what it was his Lady had been thinking. Were the taste of the muffins strange or was the texture not to her liking? As Kaito mentally reviewed the recipe, Yukiko continued, "I'll just head upstairs."

The moment Kaito saw his Lady leaving her seat and taking up the empty plates, he sprang into action and offered to help. "Let me help. It's the least I can do since I intruded into your breakfast." He gathered up the dirty plates, cutlery and empty cups from his area, stacking them in a neat pile.

"It's nothing." She replied. Kaito could not help but think how honest and reserved she was. It was as though she was the embodiment of the Yamato Nadesco, the sought after Japanese woman of grace and beauty. The way she shyly shied away from compliments and not at the slightest boasting about her skills.

She reached out to take the dirty dishes and Kaito was ready to hand over the dishes. But when Kaito placed the dishes into her hands, their fingers brushed and Kaito felt another jolt of electricity running up his spine. She too seemed to flinch and nearly dropped the dishes. Not wanting to make a mess, Kaito offered his services.

"Why don't I carry it over to the sink and have them started? Maybe you can wipe down the table?" He took the dishes towards sink without waiting for her reply, starting the tap and pouring in the liquid soap in hopes of distracting himself for the remnant jolts of electricity. He tried to ignore when she came over to rinse out a cloth, to ignore the fact that their shoulders were touching. He kept still, not making any unnecessary movement until the sink was filled with a decent amount of warm water and had ample soap bubbles. With minimal movement, he reached for the sponge to soak in the soapy liquid before starting on the dishes. He saw how his Lady's movements have changed, not as graceful as before but jerky and stilted. As his concentration was drawn towards the sudden change, Kaito applied slightly too much force towards his washing, drawing up more bubbles from the soapy water. Kaito was slightly worried as to the reason behind the sudden change but she was quickly by his side once more to rinse out the tablecloth.

"Why don't you go get ready? I can manage them here." He offered, not wanting for his Lady to soak her hands with the dirty water. There were not that many dishes left inside the sink and it would take very little time to dry and put them away. His Lady chuckled behind closed fist. "What?" He could not help but ask.

She pointed to the tip of his nose and he barely managed to see a spot of white. Realising what his Lady was laughing at, he had the sudden urge to make her sport a matching pair. He dipped his hands into the soapy water, scooping out a small handful of bubbles and was ready to aim at her. But she managed to make a quick escape.

"I'll go up and change then."

Kaito could not help but laugh at her hasty retreat, nearly stumble into the door frame. She was quick to evade the structure and ducked out of the room without Kaito having to launch the soap bubbles at her. He would not mind seeing her with fluffs of white sticking onto her. Rather he felt it would make her more endearing and adorable.

'I can't wait to actually try it.'

 **-TBC-**


	10. Third time is not the charm

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: Is it considered a 'date' if one side is pining and the other side is stupidly enough with some that's not real? Jump in POV to when Shin-chan goes to change his clothes. I had to take a little bit of creativity to twist certain scenes in the movies to fill plot holes in this story. I think most readers would have seen it but it needs to be mentioned SPOILERS FOR MOVIE 3.

* * *

 **Ch10: Third time is not the charm**

Shinichi could not help but sigh when he saw what his mother laid out on his bed. Despite not wanting to put on the feminine clothes, he could see the logic behind the need to conceal himself. Yet Shinichi could not help but feel slightly depressed, that the only way to learn more about the magician is to put on the disguise.

"It's as though we could never meet in person…" He muttered into the room as he striped out of the apron and pajamas. "Neither of us can actually _see_ each other, it's always through a mask of some kind. Though he's probably showing me his true self even if I'm not doing him the same favour." As much as he wanted to tell the magician about his actual identity, he knew it was dangerous to do so. In part to the remaining (possible) threat of the remnant members of The Organisation, in part to the abnormality of Kudo Shinichi suddenly appearing in Tokyo when he was supposed to be in Hokkaido, which would mean having to explain to the magician about why he had to be hidden. Even though he knew the magician to be KID, it was one secret he was unwilling to divulge. The APTX needs to be a closely kept secret, with its possibility in becoming in the elixir of youth, and should not be spread around even if the magician was beginning to mean something to him. He had, once upon a time, suspected that KID might have known about Conan's true identity. However, further conversations with the thief, just before The Organisation take down, revealed that KID was merely treating Edogawa Conan as a peer because of the intellect shown by a young child, not because KID _knew_ about the hidden identity. When asked further, KID admitted his respect for Conan as a child genius and nothing more. Shinichi remembered that he pushed at KID, to actually check whether the phantom thief knew anything.

 _At the bottom of the staircase, KID the phantom thief, dressed in a blue suit and green tie, let out a soft and shrill whistle. Even under the rapid staccato of rain, Conan could hear the flapping of wings against the wind._

 _"KID, why are you doing this? Helping out and..."_

 _"I wonder why." KID's grin was like the Cheshire cat, drawing in people at the same time annoying the heck out of them. Conan glared at the amused tone. "Really, I'm just trying to repay the favour."_

 _"By dressing up as Kudo Shinichi?" Conan had suspected whether KID actually knew._

 _"I overheard." KID produced dove after dove with puffs of smoke, placing each bird strategically on his person, "that a certain maiden was quite worried about the recent turn of events. I am a gentleman thief and I really dislike seeing ladies in distress. I thought, what better way to repay the favour than to alleviate your special nee-chan's distress. I shudder to think what you would ask me do when I am in your debt."_

 _"And you thought pretending to be Kudo Shinichi would be best."_

 _"Worth a shot isn't it?" KID finally settled down with both hands at his side. The doves were cooing quite loudly by now._

 _"Then it wasn't because you knew." Conan muttered. Thankfully, his voice did not carry across the road underneath the loud sounds from the birds and the rain. KID raised an eyebrow at him. "Nevermind then. But for your information, you wouldn't be in my debt."_

 _"Oh?" KID angled his head slightly._

 _"It's only naturally to want to help the injured. I never expected anything from my gesture."_

 _"Well, you have my utmost thanks. She was always a special one for me." KID reached up to a seemingly random bird, but Conan knew it was the same bird that was injured and had been nursed back to health. "Well then, I guess this is goodbye then? I hope to be seeing you again soon Tantei-kun." Without further signals, the birds dispersed as one, creating a whirlwind of feathers in its wake. Conan had to shield himself from the sudden onslaught of feathers. A single white feather landed on his head and Conan reached up. He smiled as he twirled the feather in his hand as rushed footsteps echoed in the staircase behind him._

Shinichi sighed, heaving a large breath as he faced the mirror. In both cases, whether he was Conan or Shiina, the thief blindly trusted the image presented to him without suspecting that, in both cases, it was a disguise.

"Why does he trust so easily? He cannot seriously be deceived by his eyes could he?"

Although he kept to his own character, his own personality, the fact that he was using the face of a female and using female speech patterns makes everything he said thus far a lie.

"Why couldn't we have met when I was _me_?" He asked the reflection on the wardrobe mirror, grasping onto the front of the white blouse he was wearing. He looked nothing like himself with the exception of his eyes. And even then, it was currently obscured by glasses. Nothing in his reflection points to the person standing in at the spot as Kudo Shinichi.

The knock on the door startled him.

"Have you finished? Kai-chan is waiting impatiently downstairs." His mother called out.

"Nearly finished." He slipped on the pair of tight fitting jeans, thankful that for once his mother had decided to give him something resembling his own wardrobe. Though all the cut and design was definitely on the feminine side, with the fitted waist and the slimming legs. Once he felt confident that nothing showed he was of the male gender, he opened the door to let his mother in. In her hands was the familiar makeup box. He sighed and settled down on the bed, waiting for his mother to finish the application.

"You know, I think I should leave this here." She said, finishing off the blush. "It's easier if you kept it in your room, along with the other changes of clothing for the disguise." Her voice held a serious tone.

"For what? You know I'm not going to go out of the house all that often until _Kudo Shinichi_ is back in Tokyo." He picked the lipstick in his mother's hands and decided to apply it himself. He had seen how it was done twice and something as simple as making sure to stay within the lip line would be easy for him. It was a matter of hand-eye coordination.

"Yes, but you might want to take some fresh air every now and then. Or even when Kai-chan comes around, which I'm sure he would at some point." There was something in her tone that Shinichi could not pinpoint. A mixture of concern, hopeful, and something resembling pain and nostalgia. A tone that made Shinichi feel as though she was afraid of inevitable loss.

"This is all just temporary. Eventually, this disguise will have to go. Much like how Conan left." Shinichi dropped the lipstick back into the makeup box. "Underneath all this, is Kudo Shinichi. It's just that it is currently inconvenient for him to appear. When 'tou-san comes back, Kudo Shinichi will return to pick up where he's left off and Irie Shiina will leave for Hokkaido indefinitely. Kuroba Kaito should not become attached to this current me…"

"But she is a part of you Shin-chan." She wrapped her arms around his neck, careful to not smudge the makeup. "Even with all my skills in disguises, there are parts of you that could not be hidden. The part that enjoyed being with Kai-chan, the part that l..."

"No 'kaa-san." Shinichi cut off whatever his mother intended to say. He could already guess the next words, implying that he was taken to the magician. "No matter what is happening now, it's all fake. Unless we meet again, as ourselves and not under some alias, whatever we feel is not _real_."

"But you and Kai-chan, even only having met twice and now three times, the pair of you seems to know what the other was thinking. Always anticipating and making sure the other would not become troubled. When the pair of you were sitting there at the dining table, eating breakfast, you were being yourself. Not Irie Shiina." She finally let go of her hold and stood back. "At first, it might have been on a whim to see whether I can push the pair of you together as a couple. And perhaps my attitude made it seem as though I was joking around. But Shin-chan, I saw how happy he made you at the mall. I saw how his actions affected you inside that party. And I saw, just a few moments ago, how his words made you smile and laugh like the times before your poisoning. He's…"

"'Kaa-san," Shinichi was not sure how he could tell his mother that he had been chasing after the magician as KID and Conan without betraying the magician's secret. The only reason Shinichi was able to relax and drop all pretense was because he knew KID's character and could see he was genuine. "I smile and laugh because it was polite to do so at the time, I was affected by his action because I've never been treated like...something delicate. Kuroba Kaito only saw Irie Shiina, not Kudo Shinichi. So please." He hoped that it did not sound like he was begging for his mother to leave the topic be. It pained him saying such falsities when the truth was that he laughed because the magician made an effort to bring a smile to his face, he was shy and embarrassed due to the magician's effort, and he was genuinely happy when he saw the magician brighten up at his words. But none of these he could admit to his mother, not that he feared her to be teasing him (and he knew his mother would tease him about it some point in time), but because saying it out loud would make it real and Shinichi did not want to make it real when he was disguising at Irie Shiina.

"Alright Shin-chan." Even with his mother assuring him that she would not be bringing up the topic, he could not help but feel she will try something in the near future when Kudo Shinichi reappears.

When Shinichi reached the first floor landing, he saw the magician pacing across the width of the corridor.

"Sorry, have you waited for long?" He walked towards the cupboard to pull out the pair of sneakers his mother had specified. 'At least these are sneakers and not heels. I don't think my feet has recovered yet.'

"None at all." The magician was quickly at his side, slipping on his own pair of shoes and opening the front door. When Shinichi looked up, he saw the magician's intense gaze.

"Is something wrong? Am I under-dressed for the occasion? Should I go change?" Shinichi was suddenly quite concerned about the way he looked. He checked his reflection on a nearby picture frame, trying to see whether any part of his disguise had given him away.

"No, nothing's wrong. It's fine, the way you're dressing. Just that...I don't know...you seemed, distressed? Saddened? Did something happen while you were upstairs?" The look of concern and worry reflected in those indigo orbs made Shinichi's heart clench. As though he was physically pained.

"It's nothing. Just that I couldn't find…" now Shinichi had to make up some sort of an excuse. Unfortunately, nothing was coming to mind. "You'll probably laugh at me if I say it."

"How could I laugh at you? I'd only laugh _with_ you, never _at_ you." He held open the door. In the same instant, a dove flew inside and looped around the top of their heads. "Hey! Where are your manners! I thought I taught you better."

As though sensing the magician's anger, the dove ignored the magician and landed on Shinichi's shoulders. She cooed and rubbed herself on his jaws. Fearing she may ruin the makeup, Shinichi reached up to stroke the dove to stop her actions.

"I take it she's yours then?" He reached up to cup the dove by the underbelly, removing her from his shoulders and handing her back. The moment the dove was placed into the magician's hands, she flew back to Shinichi's shoulders.

"She seems to have taken a liking to you." The magician sighed dramatically. "Well, ever since her accident, she's been quite attached to me and not wanting to be near anyone else. There's only one other that she's been close to so far."

"Accident?" Shinichi cupped the dove and lifted to his eye level.

"Yea, she was accidentally shot."

Shinichi's eyes trailed along the dove's body before landing on one of the wings. He carefully stretched the wing, with the dove docile in his hand, and indeed there was a patch of feather that seemed more ruffled and disorganised. Letting go of the wing, Shinichi looked directly into the beady eyes and the dove cooed in confirmation to Shinichi's silent question.

"It was a miracle that some nice kid patched her up." The magician's voice further confirmed his suspicion. This was the dove that Conan saved during the Russian faberge egg incident. "She was lucky to have been picked up by him."

"Yes indeed." Letting the dove take perch on his shoulder as they walked towards the station. The dove had obediently hid herself in the magician's clothes as they approached, snuggling up inside the jacket, and Shinichi could just manage to make out a bulge in the fabric where she hid.

"You really have her trained well." He brushed a hand on the front of the jacket where the dove was. Shinichi could feel the warmth permeating through the fabric.

"Well, she's one of several dozens that I personally train. I like working with animals, birds mostly for now, but maybe later on in my career, I might try others. Perhaps dogs and cats to start with." Shinichi ignored the possible tinge on the magician's face, brushing it off as colouring due to the sun and heat. Though, if he was honest, he hoped that the magician was actually blushing due to his close proximity as it would be an indication.

'An indication of what though.' Shinichi internally frowned before looking for another distraction. He picked up on the tail end of the conversation, "Your mother must _love_ you for introducing so many animals then." He could just picture a house full of furry creatures snuggling up to a white tuxedo magician. 'It makes a cute picture.' He thought to himself before trying hard to dislodge the image, ultimately failing which ended up with Shinichi sporting a small content smile.

"Of course she wouldn't mind, 'tou-san used to keep more birds at home than I do. He had several larger birds whereas I'm sticking to doves for now. At one point, he even brought home a snake. That scared 'kaa-san." As they seated themselves on the train, Shinichi pretended to be interested in the moving scenery rather than the reflection of the magician's intense gaze on him. "You're not...adverse to animals are you?"

"Cats and dogs? Not really. Same with avians and reptiles. I like going to the odd zoo and aquarium, they're relaxing at times. And I like seeing the children laughing and running about." Shinichi saw the magician let out a small shiver. "You don't like zoos and aquarium."

"Not really...Well, not the aquarium. Zoos I don't mind much." The way the magician averted his gaze suggested he did not want to discuss the topic further. Not wanting to upset his companion for the day, for today will be another long day, Shinichi redirected his own eyes towards the scenery.

None too soon, they arrived at their intended station. The magician had to gently nudge at Shinchi to bring him out of his semi-nap. Shinichi was never to type to nap at trains but somehow, with the magician sitting at his side, he found comfort and safety to just doze off with the rocking of the train.

"The show's not until late in the afternoon, we have a lot of time to wander about." The magician pointed towards one of the crowded streets. "I heard there's quite a few nice coffee shops in that area, perhaps we can take a look? And there's an art gallery on the way that's worth a visit."

Shinichi followed sedately behind the energetic magician, who provided a running commentary on everything. The magician would suddenly point at one of the window display and began a story on how he used something similar for a prank or drag Shinichi over to the flower stall and proceeded to explain the different flower meanings. He even bought a stem for Shinichi, which is now tucked behind his ear. Shinichi tries not to react to such actions, but he found himself unwillingly reaching up to stroke the petals whenever he felt the magician's gaze were distracted.

In no time at all, the sun was already hanging directly above their heads and a nearby clock tower chimed when its hands struck noon. The magician asked "So what do you feel like having for lunch?" when they passed by another bookstore, this time Shinichi did not stop to go inside like he did with the other two.

"Anything's fine." He looked about to try and spot a nice restaurant and pointed at the bright yellow sign. "How about sushi?"

"Uh, not today I think." The magician looked frantic and Shinichi felt he should not push the matter. "How about a nice family restaurant? That curry place looks good."

He nodded, letting the magician walk hurriedly in front of him, giving a wide berth around the sushi restaurant he pointed out. Once they sat down, the magician pulled the menu to hide his face. Shinichi decided to be patient and let time reveal what the magician was so nervous about. They both ordered the same lunch special, to which the waitress giggled slightly and pointed there was a weekend special for two, serving the exact same thing but at a discount price and aimed for couples. Shinichi could not help but blush when the waitress suggested.

"Um...maybe…" The magician began but Shinichi cut into the sentence.

"We'll take the weekend special then." Not wanting to waste money, and since that was what they intended to order anyways, Shinichi was quick to send the waitress on her way with their orders. "Is something the matter?" Shinichi asked the magician with wide opened mouth.

"Do you not...you know...mind people assuming we're a...you know…" He waved his hand in the air between the two of them. "You, and me? Wouldn't it cause you inconvenience if your father or if the Kudo's know?"

"Yukiko-kaasan might say something but it's fine." And his mother would have words with him once she hears about this. But he doubted she would if neither the magician or himself say anything. As for his father, he is hard to predict though he always had an open mind towards these things. "What about you? If it's a problem for you…"

"No!" The magician sudden outburst caused the surrounding patrons to turn to their table. He bowed slightly in apology before lowering his voice again. "No, there's no problem with her assuming. I don't really mind at all, though if my mother hears about this, she'll probably insist on meeting with you." He sounded embarrassed and Shinichi could empathise. His own mother had also insisted on a family meeting. He wondered if insanity was contagious.

"We'll see…" Shinichi was sure they would definitely not meet as this disguise would be leaving in a fortnight. But at the same time, he felt sadden at the thought. He would lose a means to connect and talk with the interesting magician. 'Why would it be a loss?' He asked himself as they were served the curry set and coffee float. 'I've only met him a few times, actually converse with him for three times, and it's as though he _knows_ me and I wouldn't mind knowing more about him.'

"Is the food not to your liking?" The concern was apparent once more and Shinichi felt guilty for making the magician feel this way.

"No, the food's great. I was just...wondering if I needed to buy anything today." He purposefully took a bite of the curry rice.

"You mentioned you misplaced something this morning. Perhaps I can help you find a replacement then?" He sounded extremely hopeful and Shinichi was not sure how to respond other than nod.

"You don't need to go out of your way today. We're supposed to go to a show so, maybe we can just walk around and I'll pick it up when I see it." Shinichi could not, for the life of him, think of an object that he had supposedly lost. 'Or something fitting the disguise of Irie Shiina, what _could_ a woman lose inside their own home?' He then questioned his own sanity as they ate their food.

They made small talk after the meal, taking the time to digest the food and enjoy the small jelly dessert that came with the meal. The magician also put on a small show for him, with little tricks of appearing/disappearing objects, weaving stories with his hands. Shinichi enjoyed it immensely, not bothering to deliberately figure out how each of the tricks were created. Though he did call out on the more obvious ones, such as producing things from his sleeves, which the magician only beamed instead of a scowl. When all the food and drinks were finished and the cups were collected, they strolled out of the restaurant closer than they entered. The magician had offered his arms and Shinichi took it almost automatically. They spent the rest of the time until the show on the streets, just window shopping and aimless walking. Though instead of the running commentary, the magician kept silent and Shinichi was too comfortable to disturb the atmosphere. Ultimately, they arrived at the venue of the show and Shinichi had to be amazed. It was the classic big top, only the tarp was in monochrome instead of the bright red and yellow. There were already several performers greeting the guests, all dressed in elaborate costume reminiscent of mid-Victorian era only with higher hemlines and more sheer fabrics.

"How did you come by these tickets?" Shinichi could recognise the circus to be the famed Cirque de Lune, with tickets sold out for the month.

"A friend gave them to me, I thought you might enjoy something like this." He beamed another smile in Shinichi's direction and he felt extremely warm all of the sudden even under the dying sun.

"They're really expensive…" It would be a moot point to ask whether the magician would feel ok to spend it with him. Surely there are other people in the magician's lives worth spending extra time and effort in.

"My friend said he couldn't make it today so he gave them to me. It's probably a gift for him as well. Besides, it gives me a reason to spend some more time with you." He tugged Shinichi towards the entrance, where they were greeted by a pair of masked performers. Both masks were similar, a half mask with intricate filigree depicting a rose. The one on the left had a white-based mask with black filigree, whereas the one on the right had a black-based mask and white filigree. The performers bowed at the same time, taking the ticket from the magician's hands, and motioned for another performer to show them to their seats.

They were seated on the front rows, close to the stage area. There were already a few performers entertaining the seated patrons, one bringing out animals and encouraged the audience to approach and pet them. Another was juggling wire-like balls that looked extremely fragile and would break easily. There was a trapeze artist swinging above, raining tiny star cutouts onto the ground. The last performer remained in place in a suspended golden cage, singing hauntingly beautiful tunes without any accompaniment. Even the orchestral area were similarly decorated to the moon/night theme, the music stand were silver with lunar motifs, the artists dressed in monochrome with intricate filigree designs. Shinichi was in awe.

"I take it that it's to your liking?"

"I've never seen shows like this." Shinichi had been to quite a few shows in his life, mostly theatrical productions and concerts with the odd magic act thrown in. "I've seen musicals and elaborate productions, but this." The atmosphere of the place was entrancing. He was at a loss for words to describe what was before his eyes.

The show proved to hold up to Shinichi's expectations. It was an added bonus that the magician always managed to draw Shinichi towards the most interesting acts. It was as though the magician knew beforehand what would happen. At the end of the show, the magician pulled Shinichi towards backstage, apparently knowing some of the performers. They were gifted with the performer's mask, the same ones they saw when they entered.

"It was nice of them." Shinichi peered inside the cardboard box holding the mask.

"They probably have several of them made. My friend received the tickets from them, and he probably said something to them as well. Telling them that I was coming."

"So you don't know them personally?" Shinichi should not have been surprised. With his skills as a magician (night persona notwithstanding), he would be quite well known in the circle. If what his mother insinuated was to be believed, his father would have been quite famous during his time and it would be normal for performers to have passing memory of the family name, if not the face.

"Well, I've heard of them. Much like how they've heard of me. Mutual acquaintances I guess." He shrugged. "It's already late, do you want to grab some dinner with me?"

Shinichi wasted no time and nodded. It was interesting how quick he latched onto the offer, as though he did not want the day to end.

'Though it's expected seeing as I rarely have a crime-less outing. Maybe being with a thief counters all other sorts of crime in my proximity.' Although Shinichi did not believe in gossip or the supernatural, it was difficult to deny that crime follows wherever Shinichi goes.

Unfortunately, neither knew what they wanted to eat. Instead they walked around town, until it was quite late. They ultimately settled for raman.

"I apologise, I should have thought ahead and reserved us a restaurant or something." The magician poured water from the nearby jug for Shinichi. "A ramen house is not something to take a Lady to as an evening out."

"There's nothing wrong with it." Shinichi surveyed the area. The shop was clean, the ambiance was nice, the staffs were friendly, and it seems there is a nice selection of food available.

"Not many girls like to come to these joints, either thinking they were all smoke filled or did not wish for others to see how they enjoyed their food."

Shinichi remembered his mother mentioning something along the lines of girls not wanting other people to see them slurping up the noodles, thinking it was bad manners and ruins their image.

"Well, it's a bit ridiculous. Good food is meant to be enjoyed with others." Shinichi snagged the cup of water and downed it in a single gulp. "Where's the enjoyment when you're eating by yourself?"

"You're definitely different from all the other women that's for sure." The magician dutifully poured another cup. "Now, how about some ramen?"

Shinichi was not sure why he felt irritated when the magician compared him with the other girls, only knowing that he wished the magician to see him for who he truly was. He was still quite baffled at how, even after these meetings, the magician had yet to see through the disguise. 'Surely my acting is not all that great. I must have made many slipups by now and anyone else would have called me on it.'

As per their previous meeting, the magician insisted on accompanying him back to Beika, going as far as walking him from the station to the house.

"There's really no need for you to make the journey Kuroba-kun." The magician seems to wince when Shinichi addressed him by the family name.

"None at all. I could use the exercise. I did not expect their _large bowl_ to be that large so the walking could help me burn off some of the food."

None too soon, they were in front of the iron gates separating the road from the gardens.

"I guess this is good night then?" Shinichi muttered as they lingered in front of the gates. His hands were held loosely by his side instead of reaching for the handles. He was reluctant to let the day be finished.

"Wait." The magician's call gave slight hope to Shinichi, wishing it was because the magician had finally figured out who he really was. "Would you mind giving me your contact number? I mean, if it's not too much trouble and all. It would be good to have some way of talking to you without having to come all the way here. Not that I don't want to visit or anything, but I don't want to bother you unnecessarily. And I promise not to bother you with texts and whatnots. I mean…"

"Take out your phone." Shinichi had to cut through the magician's rant, amusing as it was. He too would like a way to communicated with the magician. So when the magician handed over the phone, Shinichi left his own phone number instead of the various other numbers he had at his disposal (including the Conan number and two burn phone numbers). "I don't mind the odd text messages."

When Shinichi handed the phone back, the magician looked at the number as though it was a rare gemstone.

"Thank you."

"Your welcome. And goodnight...Kaito-kun." Shinichi decided that letting the magician have his number earned him the right to call the magician by name. It further showed the action was much appreciated for the magician's smile was exceedingly bright in the darkness of the night.

"Sweet dreams to you, Gracious Lady." However, Shinichi was slightly miffed when the magician refused to call him by name (even if that name was fake).

He walked back indoors with a slightly pained smile on his face, ready for his mother's ambush by the doors.

 **-TBC-**


	11. Fool me once and Fool me Twice

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: This chapter makes you go "Aw..." then "Huh?" then "EH?!" and "Oh my...". At least it's what ran through my head when I re-read it...

* * *

 **Ch11: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me**

Shinichi tapped the pen he was using on the desk, eyes barely focusing on the words written on the casefile he was working on. He found his eyes continually straying to the drawer where he kept a certain cardboard box. Not being able to resist the allure, he pulled the drawer out and took the cardboard box, placing it on top of the blank pages of his notebook and the various gruesome photos. Opening it revealed the intricately designed mask from the circus he visited with the magician. Gingerly, he trailed his fingers along the lines of filigree, mind wandering back to the day of the outing, only to be disturbed by the sudden ring of his phone.

" _Will the Gracious Lady be kind enough to spare some time this afternoon for tea and coffee?_ " The message said, adorned with a line of emoji flowers at the bottom. Shinichi could not help but chuckle as he imagined the magician to suddenly show up at the doorstep with a bouquet of flowers.

" _Only if you're not planning to bring a flower shop as well. I wouldn't mind the distraction._ " Shinichi typed, hitting the send button before he realised his mother was away for the afternoon, having left early this morning with a single note taped on the fridge saying she was called in by an old producer friend to cameo in his latest production.

" _Then please allow me to come and pick you up in an hour and we can spend the afternoon out in the sun. After all, flowers do adore the sunlight and is much suited for the outdoors than being cooped up in the gloomy interiors._ " This was not the first time the magician had texted him and asked whether he was free. Ever since the circus, the magician asked Shinichi on a few more _outings_. One to the cafe that apparently served great artisan coffee, which Shinichi had to agree it was fabulous, and another to an art gallery showcasing contemporary art. There was also the dinner two days ago, which the magician invited him to go with, and served a wonderful meal but ultimately it was the jazz performance that drew in the pair.

" _The Kudo residence isn't so bad._ " Though Shinichi had to agree, the house could use a little bit more sunlight and colour. Unfortunately, seeing as his father was a murder mystery writer and his mother loved dramatics, their house was a direct reflection of their personality even if Shinichi was the one who spends the most time here.

" _No, but I know Hokkaido in the spring and summer times is more colourful than Tokyo._ "

'Ah, that's right. Irie Shiina is from Hokkaido.' For a moment, Shinichi had forgotten it was the female disguise that the magician was addressing, not himself. He now regretted agreeing to spending another afternoon with the magician but he was not a man who goes back on his words despite being constantly forgetful on time and nearly breaking a few promises (he never did break those promises though, just fashionably late to realize the promises).

" _I'll see you in an hour then._ " Returning the mask to the drawer and shoving the casefile he had been working on back in the same drawer, Shinichi stretched his arms. He wandered over to the wardrobe and began browsing through the limited selection of clothing he had. He took quite a lot of time to pick out a set and by the time he was confident in his selection, he was left with a mere twenty minutes to be ready. Rushing into the bathroom, with the clothes and the makeup box in hand, he quickly applied the correct amount (having seen his mother apply it on him numerous times by now, Shinichi had somehow mastered the Irie Shiina disguise) but his flustering at the lack to time made it difficult to keep his hands steady. He had smudged his mascara and eyeliner one too many times that when the doorbell rang, he barely had enough time to dress himself (though the first thing he made sure was correctly in place was the Professor's voice changing choker and that his wig was safely secured with the flowing locks combed and loosely tied). Hurrying his footsteps, and barely managing to avoid tripping on his own two feet, he opened the door as he finished buttoning up his shirt.

"Sorry, I was in the bathroom just then." He apologised before setting out the slippers. "Do you want to come in while I finish up?" But when Shinichi straightened up, he found the magician to have his back towards him. "Kaito-kun?"

"Maybe I should just wait outside." The magician was walking away but Shinichi was quick and grabbed his shoulders.

"Is something wrong." He tries to force the magician to look at him. With great reluctance, the magician turned with a hand covering his face. It was then Shinichi knew something was wrong. "Did I accidentally hit you just then?"

"No. But, um...I'll just wait here if it's all the same to you. Take your time." He quickly turned away to face the door, adamant in not looking at Shinichi. Shinichi became frustrated.

"Will you just _look_ at me?"

"It's nothing, or it will be nothing. But you might want to check on your reflection first…" He waved backwards at an odd angle.

Shinichi went to the nearest reflective surface to see what was wrong. Apparently, he did not button up the shirt properly and the undergarments were showing quite prominently.

'Oh.' Shinichi blushed. Although they were all fake, the magician could not have known that at a glance. 'He was only being a gentleman.' He thought to himself, but Shinichi could not help but feel depressed, that even showing up as he did, the magician still saw Irie Shiina and not once realising it was a disguise.

"You don't have to be flustered." Shinichi reassured him, turning away to button up the shirt properly. "I'll just go and grab my things now. I'll be quick." Hurrying upstairs, he grabbed the needed phone, wallet and keys, nearly bumping into the magician who had followed him up. Shinichi stumbled backwards into the room, nearly falling onto his backside if not for the magician's timely save.

"Sorry, but you dropped your lipstick, thought I'd come to give it back first…" The magician's eyes trailed around the room. "This isn't the guest room." He stated.

"Well, no." Shinichi was at a loss.

"It's Kudo Shinichi's room. And you're...staying in here?" He sounded broken, which made Shinichi's heart ache.

"The guest room was too full of junk and dust, so I was told to stay here for my visit. No one seems to mind." The lost look on the magician's face will forever be engraved into Shinichi's mind. Shinichi wondered what sorts of conclusions the magician were drawing, could it be that he finally realised Irie Shiina was his disguise.

"I guess that makes sense…" His voice was the barest of whispers as he set the lipstick back onto the desk, eyeing the wooden table with a mixture of anger and distaste. "I hope I wasn't interrupting your afternoon, what were you doing beforehand?" It was an abrupt change of topic but Shinichi, once again, let it be.

"Just some light reading." He shrugged, grabbing a nearby purse his mother had dropped in with the rest of his disguise, conveniently placed inside a suitcase which made the cover all the more convincing. "Shall we?" He gestured back towards the door.

"Of course." Whatever thoughts the magician seemed to be having had disappeared as he offered his arms out. Automatically, Shinichi held onto the arm and he once again questioned this action.

'Why do I always do this?' Not letting his expression show his inner debates, 'Why does he always manage to draw me into these inconsequential touches even when I dislike to be touched?'

Coffee and tea was quickly followed by another walkabout around town, to which the magician had led them into a pharmacy and helped pick out another lipstick (which Shinichi would probably not use) because Shinichi had idiotically said something about wanting to expand on his makeup collection (at the time, he thought it would be something his character would say).

"You're not really a makeup sort of person are you?" The magician commented, picking up some other shades of colour. "Though in my opinion, you don't really need to put anything on your face. It'll just obscure your natural beauty."

Shinichi knew he should stop the magician's flirting comments and advance but he could not help feeling warm when the magician commented his natural beauty. 'If only he truly _saw_ me for who I am.'

"Try this on." He handed over a light shade of pink. "It's more of a lip balm than lipstick, you could wear it anytime."

Trusting the magician, he reached over for a new unopened lipstick and took it to the counter to pay for it. "If it's lip balm, I guess it should be fine."

The magician shook his head as though exasperated. "You're supposed to try these things on, not pay for them immediately. What if the colour's not to your liking? Or that there's something there that you're allergic to?"

"I'm sure it's fine. Unless you don't have confidence in your choice?" Shinichi could not help but tease. Even the cashier at the counter was giggling at their conversation.

"Of course not." He huffed with a pinkish tinge to his cheeks, slamming a bill at the counter. Shinichi's eyebrows rose with a question on his lips. "I'm the one who invited you out today so it's only natural I'll be paying for the expenses."

"Gentlemanly much?" The smirk slowly made its way onto Shinichi's face. "But it's much appreciated though." Thanking the cashier as he was handed the paper bag, he turned back to the huffing magician. Not wanting the magician to stay angry, Shinichi knew he had to do something.

'But what? What would shock the magician out of this state?' He questioned himself as they walked out of the pharmacy. The answer came as he saw one of the passing couples, where the girl tiptoed upwards and landed a kiss on the boy, whereby the previously angry boy suddenly melted and smile. 'That's something I could do.' Hoping that he too could achieve similar results (maybe just not the melting part, though the smiling part would be much appreciated).

When they passed by a park, Shinichi slowed down his footsteps. The magician, being the attentive person he always was, slowed to match the speed. Shinichi took the opportunity, when they were side by side, to lean in for a chaste kiss. His aim had landed him on the mouth, just as the magician was about to say something. When Shinichi pulled back, he saw the magician's stunned expression.

"Um...I just wanted to thank you, that's all." He added, just for good measure. He did not want to send the wrong message to the magician. "I always see Yukiko-kaasan do it so…" He hoped he did not sound too fake and he needed the excuse anyways.

After a while (a long while), the magician seemed to have finally snapped out of whatever it was and replied with a soft "...right…" with a cough to the side, hiding the slight tinge. However, the next words were accompanied by a frown, "They would do that."

"What do you mean?" Curious, Shinichi asked as they approached the franchise bookstore at the end of the street. There was a book he still wanted to buy and now would be as good a time as any.

"It's not anything bad." He quickly amended, "though not quite what people would normally do in Japan, or at least Tokyo, despite them all being open and whatnot. I guess being in Hokkaido, and being in close contact with foreigners kind of desensitizes you to such actions...And the Kudo's seem to be reinforcing it as well…" Something must have shown on his face for the magician looked apologetic almost immediately. "It's nothing wrong, seriously, just...um…" He kept waving his hands and began to ramble on the differences between culture and how people might perceive differently to certain actions. Shinichi did not really put much mind to what he was saying, rather he was more fascinated by the spectrum of emotions and the frantic hand gestures.

"It's ok, I don't mind." His words seems to have stopped the magician in mid-action. "I'm used to such displays so I hoped you don't mind as well. I know not everyone's as open minded."

"Do you...uh...show the same sorts of affection towards others? Like with Yukiko-san, and the rest of her family?" His voice trailed off at the end, as though not wanting to be heard.

"Hm…" Shinichi could not think of any incidences where he actually did peck people on the cheeks so show his thanks, he did it at some point during his first childhood but not outside of family. He saw how Ran reacted to displays of affection on the street by some random couple a year or so back, (before he turned to Conan) and saw how she would suddenly blush even at the touch of hands, so he never tried anything remotely similar with her. Though his mother, on the other hand, always gave him one when he returned from school or before leaving. "Not personally, but I've had it done to me many times in the Kudo mansion that it doesn't bother me much."

The magician looked bristled but otherwise said nothing. Shinichi decided it was fine to ignore the sudden change of behaviour and walked into the bookstore with the magician following close behind.

He felt at home, surrounded by books and literary characters. The silence here did not bother him at all, neither did the sudden stares directed at him (with the most prominent being that from the magician). Without paying too much attention, his legs took him towards the new books section. The magician lingered back for a second before joining him by the bookstand.

"I…" Both of them started at the same time, the magician gestured for him to continue with his sentence. "I...probably should apologise if my earlier actions caused you discomfort. It's just that, it never really occurred to me…"

"There's really no need for apologies. Just that it startled me." The sincere look on the magician's face comforted Shinichi, that he had not scared off the magician with his thoughtless actions. "But you're sure not like any other girls I've met."

It was then Shinichi was once again reminded who he really was. He mentally berated himself. 'No wonder he was startled.'

"Well, I _am_ unlike any other." That was all Shinichi could say without giving too much away. At this point in time, he really wanted to say to the magician outright who he really was just so he could maintain this sense of camaraderie in the future. But at the same time, he feared that revealing the truth could cause irreparable damage to the existing relationship they were having. Instead of saying anything, Shinichi ducked down to pick up a random book (that turned out to be a trashy romance novel he had no interest in but he still feigned interest in the hopes forgetting about the conversation and the strange feeling in his chest).

And as though Fate and Destiny finally came to their senses, Shinichi's Luck reared its head into Reality. A shrill scream came all of a sudden, followed by a loud thud. Shinichi immediately rushed out to see a gruesome sight. He was about to approach the scene when the magician grab onto his wrist and pulled him back.

"You're not supposed to go anywhere near a body." He said, pushing Shinichi away and began cordoning the area with high efficiency before yelling to all passerbys. "Everyone, please calm down."

Shinichi stood in awe as the magician managed to corral the current patrons into an area away from the body, still oozing blood onto the floor. The shocked staff seemed to finally come to their senses and helped calm the patrons down. Shinichi pulled out his phone and started dialing the emergency, knowing that the fallen victim is more than likely dead (if the visible knife wound had not caused the death, falling from three storeys landing head first certainly would). He gave succinct description of the location and was told the police would be on their way. Now Shinichi just had to figure out how to solve the crime without revealing himself. He rummaged about his purse, finding his other burn phone, and quickly input the details into his current phone.

'I'll have to do a bit of improvisation and acting. Let's hope he won't notice the discrepancies.' Shinichi somehow managed to make himself sink down onto the floor and the magician immediately appeared by his side.

"Are you alright. Maybe you should go sit down for a while." The magician was gentle and helped him up but Shinichi waved him off.

"I'll just head into the bathroom, I…" He covered his mouth before rushing towards the disabled bathroom to the side of the shop, leaving his mobile and purse in plain sight of the magician. Shinichi did not bother to check whether the magician picked them up as he immediately locked himself in. Pulling out the burn phone, he dialed his own number. 'Time to solve a crime by proxy again.'

 **-TBC-**


	12. Now you see me, now you don't

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: I'm not good at mystery and/or crime so don't expect much...I tried, I really did and I was tempted to skip the mystery all together. Again, this chapter starts off with going slightly back in time.

* * *

 **Ch12: Now you see me, now you don't**

Kaito's day had been going as he planned, a nice afternoon out with his Lady, sharing coffee and cakes at the new bakery, and helping her with her shopping. When his Lady teased him, he pretended to be angry, huffing up and avoiding eye contact. Though that hid a second agenda-his growing emotions for his Lady. He managed to catch a glimpse of the soft smile directed at the lipstick he found for her and he could not help but felt the slightest bit of giddy. Kaito did not want his Lady to think him too bold so he hid. Never would he have thought his Lady would take it the wrong way and startling him with a kiss.

"Um...I just wanted to thank you, that's all. I always see Yukiko-kaasan do it so…" She shyly evaded any sort of eye contact, focusing on the surrounding trees and playground.

After the shock of the action finally dissipated (though the warmth still lingered on his lips), Kaito managed to utter out a "...right…" He coughed to clear his thoughts before restarting the conversation. "They would do that."

"What do you mean?" Her voice sounded offended and Kaito had to quickly diffuse the situation, not wanting his Lady to become mad at him and end the day prematurely.

"It's not anything bad." He really did not find her actions to be bad, only a bit surprising. "Though not quite what people would normally do in Japan, or at least Tokyo, despite them all being open and whatnot. I guess being in Hokkaido, and being in close contact with foreigners kind of desensitizes you to such actions...And the Kudo's seem to be reinforcing it as well…" Kaito quickly glanced in her direction, noticing the seriousness of her expression and quickly amended, "It's nothing wrong, seriously, just...um…" He continued to provide various explanations, hands and mouth moving without passing thought through his brain. 'Me and my big mouth…' He berated himself as his mouth continued to soothe away the dark glint on his Lady's face

"It's ok, I don't mind." And it seems Kaito's words did get through, "I'm used to such displays so I hoped you don't mind as well. I know not everyone's as open minded."

However, that brought about another question to Kaito, one that he both wanted an answer to and dreaded the outcome.

"Do you...uh...show the same sorts of affection towards others? Like with Yukiko-san, and the rest of her family?" His voice trailed off slightly towards the end. He hoped, prayed, that his Lady had refrained herself when showing affection of this sort.

"Hm…" Her long pause only made Kaito more nervous, "Not personally, but I've had it done to me many times in the Kudo mansion that it doesn't bother me much."

It took quite a lot for Kaito not to suddenly collapse into a slump onto the ground. Knowing his Lady had not shown the same sort of affection to the Kudo's (particularly one Kudo Shinichi) was a relief. But hearing that she had been kissed, whether it was on the cheeks or not Kaito could not care for they were both the same to him, by the Kudos (most likely said Kudo Shinichi as well seeing as it happened inside the Kudo residence and the only person to stay for an extended amount of time there was _him_ ) was physically painful. Kaito clenched his fist to stop himself from demanding a more descriptive answer, whether it truly was Kudo Shinichi who gifted his Lady a kiss or not.

His Lady did not seem to notice his sudden agitation, instead she walked right into the three storey bookstore without a backward glance. Kaito, being the gentleman he was, followed dutifully behind without another word on the topic (at the back of his mind, he vowed to find out the truth, whether it would be from his Lady's mouth or by some other source. He was sorely tempted to hunt Kudo Shinichi down and _ask_ him, by which he meant throttling him and threatening him with a permanent humiliating change in his physical appearance).

When Kaito approached his Lady by the 'New Books' section, he decided he should probably apologise for his ungentlemanly behaviour.

"I…" As they both started at the same time, he motioned for his Lady to continue.

"I...probably should apologise if my earlier actions caused you discomfort. It's just that, it never really occurred to me…"

Kaito could admired how perceptive and emphatic his Lady was, to notice his distress so quickly even through his layers of masks. He suddenly felt more guilty for the sense of anger he felt a moment ago. His Lady was only trying to show she cared with the action. 'A pure hearted kiss that should mean nothing more than being thankful. And yet, I demeaned its purpose.'

"There's really no need for apologies. Just that it startled me. But you're sure not like any other girls I've met." He felt he had wronged his Lady.

"Well, I am unlike any other." That cheeky grin instantly wiped away all of Kaito's guilt. He was thankful his Lady was so forgiving.

Kaito was about to say something else when a shrill scream echoed in the store. His Lady ran out of the aisle immediately and he was hot on her tail. When he saw the bloody sight in front of him, he quickly pulled his Lady back, knowing it was a crime scene and it should not be contaminated (his shadowing of his critics, especially one particularly small critic, helped him learn much about crime scenes and the first was not to disturb them, the second being secure the scene).

"You're not supposed to go anywhere near a body." For an instant, he hoped he saw the moving chest of the victim but it was too still. The blood spreading out on the floor only reinforced the idea of the victim being dead. Not wanting to look at the body any longer, he directed his voice to the surroundings. "Everyone, please calm down." He shouted as loud as he could to snap people out of their stupor.

As he corral the patrons into a safe zone, he kept an eye on his Lady. She may not have seemed shock but she did look slightly distress. However, just as he was about to comfort his Lady, one of the staff caught his attention and he relayed to the staff what needs to be done. When he finished explaining, he caught sight of his Lady suddenly sinking into the floor, as though a puppet suddenly losing its string. Kaito ran over to check her over.

"Are you alright. Maybe you should go sit down for a while." He helped her up, holding tightly onto her forearms in case she collapsed again. The sight of blood must have affected her and he tries to guide her towards the bench furthest from their location.

"I'll just head into the bathroom, I…" She shook off his grip and rushed towards the closest bathroom, which happened to be the disabled bathroom. He was about to follow when his feet stumbled onto her belongings. 'She must have been trying to contact someone…' He picked them up and was about to return the phone back to the purse when it rang.

The caller display showed 'Shinichi'. Kaito gripped the phone tightly, angered that the detective was whom his Lady had been trying to contact. At some point, his hand managed to trigger the call pick up and the detective's voice sounded through the speaker.

" _What is it that you were trying to call me for?_ " To Kaito, Kudo Shinichi sounded slightly irritated, as though he was suddenly interrupted from something important.

"What's more important? Comfort for a _close friend_ of course." Kaito could not help but bite out. "She was involved in a case! Why do you think she called you?!"

" _Who's this?_ " There was an awkward pause before he tagged on " _Why do you have this phone?_ "

"Does it really matter? The only thing you should be concerned about is that she is currently extremely upset about what she saw! And when she tries to contact you, you were unreachable. Now, when you call back, you sound as though you're accusing her of wrongdoing!" Kaito ranted as he kept his eyes glued to the door of the disabled bathroom. "And you better comfort her when she calls you next time!"

" _Wait!_ " The other end called out just when Kaito was about to hit the disconnect. Wanting to see what had the detective suddenly reacting, he decided to humour him.

"Yes?"

" _You said a case._ " It was not a question, more like a demand for an explanation.

"Yes, a case. She witnessed a falling body. Quite bloody as well might I add." Kaito sighed, maybe it was a common trait for all detectives to be more focused on the dead rather than the living. He was stuck between wanting to pity the detective for his denseness and anger for his obliviousness.

" _Have you contacted the police?_ "

'Well, at least he had his priorities straight.' Kaito decided to answer the detective's questions. The quicker this case was solved, the quicker they can both leave the premise. "Yes, the police has been called, the scene is thankfully secured with the help of the staff. All the patrons are told to stay until the police arrives…" He began telling the detective about the various details of the crime scene, the position of the body, and give descriptions of the patrons.

" _Check the third floor._ " The detective all but demanded. Kaito bristled but knew better than to argue at the point. The more evidence they can gather right now, the easier it would be to solve the crime. Kaito was too eager to leave the store with his Lady to argue with the detective on the phone.

Ten minutes into the call, the police arrived and the voice over the phone had already narrowed in on the suspects. That was, of course, not without legwork from Kaito. The detective had the gall to treat him like he's an assistant of some kind, asking him to run all over the place and checking the views out several windows, going up and down the escalator. All the while, Kaito had only wanted to stay by where he last saw his Lady but knowing that solving the murder should take precedence. With the amount of work done by Kaito prior to the police's arrival, only three of the patrons need to be questioned, to which and the detective had told Kaito to keep the line open during the questioning. Kudo Shinichi then pronounced, through the speakerphone, that he had solved the case.

" _A crime of passion,_ " he calls it, " _of a quarrel between two friends over a possible antique._ " The story began with the two friends finding an old book at one of their basements, one purely wanted the book appraised for its worth whereas the other had been edging on greedy and wanted to sell the book. The pair argued and in the end, the greedy friend had enough and decided to take the book for himself. The curious friend had agreed, readily handing over the book along with the appraisal. The twist to the tale was that the appraisal letter stated the book was not worth as much as they expected, the greedy one thought his friend cheated on him. " _Then he grabbed the nearby knife that came with the meal served at the upstairs restaurant, injured his friend, who stumbled over the railing with the resulting force._ "

The police seemed to have bought into the deduction, and after the evidence was produced by the detective (" _Check the camera in front of the men's bathroom on the third floor, next to the west-side emergency exit, there should be footage of him entering with an overcoat but him exiting without the coat. You should also find the coat outside, possibly hanging from a tree. The wind's pretty mild today, so the coat would most likely have caught onto the branch. You will also find shredded up appraisal form down the drains over the sink, and the book would most likely be ripped apart and thrown into several cistern, clogging it up._ ") they also had a confession. The man was brought into the police vehicle, hands cuffed, and not a bit remorseful about what he did.

"Now, wait a minute." Kaito said to the detective on the phone once all the officers have left and only the clean up crew remained. "How could you know all this? You're not even here."

" _I've been to that particular bookstore before, so I know._ "

"I haven't even said it was a bookstore, neither have I mentioned today's weather. I can understand you going online to check for the weather but location?" Kaito suddenly had a very nasty thought. "Are you following her and not showing up on purpose?"

After a moment of silence, the other end growled out, " _I_ know _her, so I know where she's likely to go on a day like this. I know her more intimately than you think._ " Kaito did not believe that for a single moment. Even if the detective knew his Lady's habits, as he had suggested in his sentence, it was still impossible to know which bookstore she would visit.

"Then why aren't you here when she needed you? Why are you treating her like you treated suspects and passerbys? She _cares_ for you enough to call you first instead of the police. She was _scared_ , _distraught_ , and yet the only thing you cared was the case! You never once asked how she is!" Instead of letting his Lady chew out the detective, Kaito decided to take matters in his own hands. It was worst seeing as his Lady has yet to come out of the bathroom.

" _It's no use arguing like this_." There was a moment's hesitation. " _I have to go. Don't...Just don't mention this ok?_ "

"What? The fact that you called to just solve the crime or the fact that you don't want to show your face even if you're close by?" The call hung up in the middle of Kaito's accusations. "That no good detective!" He growled into the now disconnected call.

Huffing, he placed the phone back into his Lady's purse and walked over to the bathroom, knocking on the door to check whether she has recovered.

"Are you alright in there?" Kaito debated whether it would be wise to find a staff to help him break down the door. "Irie-chan?"

"I'm fine." The sound was slightly muffled by the flushing and the rushing of water but at least it proved to Kaito she had not fainted.

"Alright then." Waiting for a few more seconds, the door opened to reveal his Lady with slightly smudged makeup around the mouth area and quite a wet blouse. He tries to avert his eyes and handed over his jacket. "You might want to cover up a bit."

"Oh." She took hold of the jacket with a soft sigh and wrapped it around herself, covering the wet (semi-transparent) spot. "So much for a nice day out."

Looking at the forlorn eyes, Kaito tries to salvage the situation. His Lady certainly would need some cheering up after the event and they were close to Jii's shop.

"The day's not over yet." Kaito carefully maneuvered them out of the store, clearly avoiding the previous crime scene. "There's someplace else I wanted to take you to."

His Lady was silent as she followed him and Kaito dislike his Lady being this morose. He tries to strike up conversations several times but were only met with short and breathless answers, quite unlike the witty banter they had.

"This is the place." Kaito made a show of presenting the entrance of the Blue Parrot.

"A billiards hall? I don't think they're open at this hour." Her eyes took note of the opening hours sign next to the staircase.

"A good friend owns the place, the same one who gave me the tickets, so he's fine with me dropping in like this." Kaito circled behind his Lady and pushed her towards the staircase. "He makes a lovely ice-cream sundae, and I know you don't like sweets all that much, but after what just happened, I think you're overdue for one."

Reluctantly, his Lady climbed up the staircase, dragging her feet at each step. But Kaito could not blame her. After witnessing that, they were lucky that the police did not require the pair of them down at the station for a statement (though they did take down their information just in case).

"Jii-chan!" Kaito called out the moment he opened the door.

"Kaito-bocchama." The elder man was just wiping down one of the tables on the far side of the room. "What brings you here today? I thought you have yet to plan on anything..."

"I bought someone over. Could you maybe fix us something cold and sweet?" Kaito tugged his Lady towards the bar counter and sat her down before walking to the other side for a towel of some sort. Her blouse had been soaked through and she should dry it off in case she caught a cold.

"Of course it's no problem." Jii's eyes strayed towards his Lady before the edges wrinkle up with a smile. "Any preferences?"

"Nothing too sweet for my Lovely Companion." Kaito ducked underneath the counter and finally found something resembling a clean, dry, towel. There were many warm wet towels for customers to use, but finding dry ones were difficult. "Here we go, you should dry yourself a bit. The bathroom's over by the side." He placed the towel in her hands before pointing at the location. She nodded and slowly walked over to the bathroom. Her backwards glance at him tugged at Kaito's heartstrings, it looked as though she was afraid of entering. He gave a reassuring smile, hoping she understood.

Once she disappeared into the bathroom, Jii approached Kaito with worry etched on his wizened face.

"Did something happen Bocchama?"

"We stumbled on a case…" Kaito furrowed his brow, his interaction with Kudo Shinichi nagging at him. "Say Jii-chan, would you be able to track down where Kudo Shinichi is at the moment?"

"Hm? Why the sudden interest in the detective?" Even though Jii seemed reluctant, he still pulled out the laptop from underneath the counter. Several taps later, he pulled up windows of information. "It seems he's currently in Hakkaido with his father."

"Would you be able to get me his number?" He had a score to settle with the detective for not paying attention to his Lady. If this carries on, he might just forget his gentlemanly tendencies and steal her from beneath the detective's nose.

"It will take a while, and definitely not when your lady friend is here." He quickly shut the laptop and pushed it back to its previous location. "Now, why don't I start on those sundaes?"

 **-TBC-**


	13. The secret to being hidden

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: YAY! More emotions! [[clap clap clap]]

* * *

 **Ch13: They say the secret to being hidden is not to hide...NOT!**

Shinichi closed the bathroom door with a resolute click, eyeing the clean and brightly lit interior with tired eyes. He might not feel any physical tiredness or pain, but the words the magician said really hurt him. The tone of voice he used to address Kudo Shinichi was a complete opposite to the one used to address Irie Shiina. He hated the accusatory tone directed at Kudo Shinichi, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"He hates me." He gripped the towel tightly, using the physical pain to mask away everything he felt. "He genuinely hates Kudo Shinichi."

For a moment, he had hoped that it was not the case, that the thief would hold something akin to camaraderie with him should he appear at later heist (there was that one time Kudo Shinichi met with Kaitou KID and he hoped the feelings from then had carried over). He had planned on befriending the thief as Kudo Shinichi but it all seems like a pipe dream now.

"I guess 'kaa-san was wrong then." He sighed, looking at the tired face of Irie Shiina. "He's just a thief, a magician, and a short-term acquaintance." Steeling himself, he cleaned up the best he could. "He only saw Irie Shiina, and not…" He tightened his jaws, not wanting his emotions to run rampant just yet. That was for later. Now, he had to deal with the situation as best he can. "Best cut off all ties then."

With the water trail removed from his shirt, Shinichi checked his reflection once more. The light did nothing to mask the dullness of his eyes. His matte lips made him look all the more sickly and tired. Taking out the newly bought lip balm, he applied a generous amount to give his lips some colour.

Shinichi eyed his lips intently, admiring the colour and wondered how it was the magician somehow knew what suited Irie Shiina best. Shaking his head to clear out the thought, he hastily tucked the lip balm back into the purse, not noticing it quickly fell back right out, and walked away from the mirror.

When he exited the bathroom, he was greeted by an overly welcoming and warm magician who suddenly burst into confetti. Startled, Shinichi took a step back, only to find the magician had appeared behind him.

"How are you feeling now?" He asked, voice laced with concern.

"Better now." He looked up at the clock, wondering how to broach the subject of wanting to leave. But the magician did not take the hint, instead he pushed Shinichi back towards the counter.

"Jii-chan just finished with the sundaes." He pushed a tall glass in front of Shinichi, who eyed the glass with suspicion. "Take a bite, though it's a bit sour for my taste."

The magician tucked into his own chocolate drenched ice-cream sundae beside Shinichi, to which he had to wonder how it was that the magician did not seem to be having toothaches just looking at the brown monstrosity. Taking up the long spoon, he scooped out a small amount of the white (possibly vanilla) ice-cream. The first taste startled him for it was not ice-cream.

"Kaito-bocchama commented on your preference to things less sweet, I took the liberty to use sorbet instead of the more traditional ice-cream." His genteel smile and the effort put into the food made it difficult for Shinichi to say anything against the sundae. After each bite, Shinichi felt slightly better with the situation, slowly coming to terms with the fact that it would be near impossible for Kudo Shinichi and Kuroba Kaito to be anything but rivals as detective and thief respectively.

Halfway through his treat, the door jingled. Looking in the direction of the entrance revealed a smartly dressed woman with short cropped hair and an playful aura. The magician groaned from his seat.

"'Kaa-chan, why didn't you call ahead?" Though his voice held a tone of playful reluctance, the magician went to give her a hug.

"What? No 'welcome back'?" She returned the hug with a joking smile. "Did you know I was looking for you? You said you'd be back at home by now so I had planned on to surprise you. Good thing I thought to come here first."

"You mean to ambush me." He pushed away from her, taking a step back. Shinichi was finally able to look at the woman's face and he felt as though he should know her. "And welcome back."

She looked past the magician and saw Shinichi, who bowed his head in acknowledgement. He was sure this was the Phantom Lady.

"Now, why don't you introduce me to your new friend?" Her smile suggested she knew something. Now that Shinichi had thought about it, his mother had said that she was the one who designed the clothes for the disguise. He gulped, instantly knowing that the woman _knew_ who he really was.

"Right, where are my manners." The magician pulled his mother closer, and Shinichi quickly stood from his seat. "This is Irie Shiina, I met her at a party a week or so back. She's a friend of Yukiko-oneechan, you know, the one who learned from 'tou-chan? Irie-chan, this is my mother."

"Kuroba Chikage, you can call me auntie if you want. I'm not as strict as Yuki-chan so I don't mind." Her smile definitely meant she would want some words with Shinichi. "Love your shirt by the way, nice cutting." It was as though she was daring Shinichi to say something but he held his mouth.

"Irie Shiina, it's nice to meet you Chikage-san." He wondered if his life was on the line when he held out his hand for a shake. He read stories about how Phantom Lady likes to use scare tactics.

"It's nice to meet you as well _Shin-chan_." She just confirmed, using the nickname, that she knew who it was underneath the clothes and makeup. Shinichi felt her grip tighten even as her smile relaxed.

To the side, the magician looked put out though Shinichi could not understand why.

"'Kaa-san, can I have a word?" He said tersely, hands clenching into a fist.

"In a minute Kaito-dear. I want to talk with _Shin-chan_ first." She nudged Shinichi to a nearby table and when the magician wanted to follow, but she stared (glared) at him. The magician instantly backed away, sat down at his previous seat and began poking into the sundae with an intense gaze to where Shinichi had be led to sit down.

"Um...Chikage-san?" Shinichi was not sure how to diffuse this situation. He could admit to being who he is in front of the existing audience, and the magician had to accept the fact, or he could admit to only the woman in front of him. Though admitting to the magician after said magician had just chewed out at Kudo Shinichi was a suicidal act and if he valued his life, Shinichi would have to be tactful in how to reveal himself.

"I know who you are _Shin-chan_ , and if you don't want me to expose you in front of Kaito, you really should not act so tense with me." She smiled, leaning onto the table. At least Shinichi now knows she was unwilling to expose him. "Now then," she glanced between Shinichi and the magician, giving her son a devilish grin to which the magician only scowled, "you and Kaito…"

"There's nothing between us." He quickly added before she drew any conclusions. "We met at a party that my mother insisted I should go, he was just...there with, I think, a female friend. We then bumped into each other in Beika Mall, and then there's the circus show, several more outings and the evening at the jazz club…" Shinichi automatically launched into a detail explanation of their _outings_ , though it was more like his mouth was running away from him rather than him willingly offering the information.

"Hm…" She hummed, smile growing by each of Shinichi's words.

"But I don't intend to lead him on like this. I mean, it was never my intention to stay _like this_ for so long and you know how my mother is, she likes to traumatise me…" That was the only reason he could give at this moment to explain his current willingness to dress up. Though after the circus show, Shinichi actually approached his own mother to help with the disguise rather than his mother forcing him into it. It might mean something, but Shinichi was unwilling to consider it. Especially with the recent turn of events.

"It's fine Shin-chan, Kaito needs some excitement in his life. I don't think he could ever have enough." Shinichi was sure she was hinting towards KID heists but he was reluctant to show that he knew the magician and the thief were one and the same.

"But _I'm_ going to be returning to Tokyo soon, so Irie Shiina probably wouldn't be seeing Kaito-kun anymore." He was sure something must have shown on his face as she suddenly took hold of his hand and began patting on it.

"I understand. Though before you leave, you might want to tell him though."

"Tell him?" Shinichi had not wanted to tell the magician his true identity. It was a daunting prospect, to have the magician know after all this time that the person he had been company to was a fake construct. Shinichi knew it would cause grief for the magician. 'It's better for Irie Shiina to remain as a mysterious, short-term friend instead of a bitter memory.'

"How you feel." She sighed, shaking her head as though he read Shinichi's mind. "Honestly, when Yuki-chan said you were slow on the uptake, I had not thought you'd be obtuse as well."

"M...my...feelings?" Incredulous and stumbling over the words, Shinichi mentally congratulated himself for not shouting it on the top of his voice. It would not do to bring the magician's further attention.

"Yes, it's obvious to me you're trying to hide them. Or hide _from_ them as the case may be." She looked back towards the magician who seemed to be seething. "I best have you back before Kaito decides I've invaded too much of his time with you. Wouldn't want my son to resort to drastic measures." Her assuring smile did nothing but cause Shinichi to become more nervous. "Though I should tell you now that you might not be alone in those feelings."

"I know…" She looked startled by the revelation. "I'm not blind to what he's been trying to do. Just...it's not... _me_ he's directing his efforts to…" Shinichi felt it would be best to be frank with her. "I don't think it'll be good for me to tell him about anything. Best he stays happily in the dark."

Her dark frown suggested she disagrees with his reasoning. "Unless you're in mortal danger…"

"I'm not sure what my mother said to you but previous dangers surrounding my being has been taken cared of. The actual dangers I encounter daily are those from the normal, run-of-the-mill murder, thefts, and kidnapping. Nothing like K-…before." He nearly revealed what he knew, and it was a truth that would not be appreciated just yet.

She sighed after a moment of silence, shaking her head slightly with a shadow of distress and sadness.

"Both of you will be better of knowing the truth." She muttered under her breath but Shinichi chose not to believe in such words. He might be a stickler for the truth, but even he knew that sometimes truth hurts. And this is one of those cases. He did not want to hurt the magician with the truth.

"Ahem." It seemed the magician did become impatient and approached them. Shinichi could only hope he did not hear any of their conversation. Gripping onto his shirt hem tightly, he waited for the magician to speak.

"Oh?" Chikage acted more surprised "Was there something you need Kaito?" She looked between himself and the magician before bursting into a devilish grin.

"I just wanted to bring over the ice-cream sundae seeing as it seems the pair of you have much to talk about." He gently placed down the coaster and tall glass, "wouldn't want to waste such a treat now would we?" A snap of his finger and a new cherry appeared on top of the ice-cream, which was quickly stolen by Chikage.

"I think," the magician scowled when she pulled out the stem and placed it into a white napkin that suddenly appeared in her hands, "we should all have dinner tonight. I'll get started at home. Remember to bring her over Kaito!" She cheerily waved at backwards, eyes staring straight at Shinichi, "oh, and remember our promise _Shin-chan_."

Shinichi was not sure what he promised, but nodded all the same as it seems to be prudent to do so. The magician stared at the retreating backside with ample suspicion.

"So much for a nice day out…" he grumbled underneath his breath, thinking Shinichi could not hear him. He then turned back with a bright smile, "well, at least we still have the rest of the afternoon. Sorry about my mum, she likes to do things her way. I hope you didn't have evening plans."

'With someone like the Phantom Lady inviting me, I'd cancel my evening plans immediately. Wouldn't want to give her an excuse to cause mass mayhem.' Shinichi thought to himself before shaking his head. "I don't have anything planned so it's fine."

"My mother...well, she's a bit of a force of nature. I hope you don't mind." The magician sounded embarrassed. Shinichi could not help but find the light pinkish tinge on the cheeks and the way the magician would try to avoid eye contact was cute.

'What?!' His mind decided to short-circuit itself with the thought.

 **-TBC-**


	14. End of a fantasy

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: I've been busy trying to finish this so anyone whose been wondering why I haven't updated Firsts, now you know. Also, I might have lied about being within 20 chapters, though I can say for certain there are 23 chapters (with a possible epilogue if I receive enough reviews/questions [ahem-plotholes-ahem]).

* * *

 **Ch14: End of a fantasy**

Shinichi was making breakfast when the bell to the front gate rang.

"'Kaa-sa-" he stopped mid sentence, remembering his mother had left early in the morning in haste with a quick shout into his room (another reason why he woke up so early this morning). Wiping off the grease from his hands, he walked towards the video intercom. "Hello?"

" _Good morning!_ " Shinichi held in the groan as he plastered on the best smile he could manage. The grainy face of the woman was too bright in Shinichi's opinion.

"Chikage-san?" He did not dare to raise his voice in case a certain _someone_ was nearby.

" _Oh you have nothing to worry about. Kaito's a bit_ preoccupied _at the moment so he couldn't come with me this morning. Of course, I'm sure he would be making an appearance sometime later today, though not any time soon._ " There was something in her smile that made Shinichi shiver. He did not want to know what the mother did to her son.

'But if she's anything like 'kaa-san, it'll be traumatic.'

" _Now then, how about you invite me into the house? It is rather chilly this morning._ "

"Of course Chikage-san, let me unlock the gate and I'll meet you at the door."

" _Just unlock the door's fine. I know you're not supposed to be back in Tokyo yet. No need to take unnecessary risks._ " She quickly disappeared from view at the sound of the electronic lock.

"Good morning Chikage-san." He said, opening the doors to reveal the smartly dressed woman lunging a large suitcase. Shinichi glanced between the luggage and the woman before offering, "let me help you with that." He wondered whether the woman just intended to drop in for a visit before leaving or if she had something more _sinister_ in mind.

"Thank you Shinichi-kun." Slipping into the guest slippers as she handed over the handles of her suitcase.

Shinichi tries to dislodge whatever thought he had about the strange luggage as he heaved it onto the wooden flooring and began dragging it into the lounge area. He could practically feel the dread coursing through his body as he had a feeling the contents will have something to do with him (something that is possibly humiliating).

"Are you having breakfast?" Chikage asked as they passed the kitchen with the plates and pans all set out. Shinichi did not bother to enter the kitchen but he did turn back to address her.

"Just making it. Have you eaten yet? Or perhaps coffee or tea? We have juice in the fridge as well if that's what you prefer." His added on the off chance that she was like his son with a preference to sweet foods. He made a mental note to add hot chocolate powder to the list of grocery on the off-chance that someone with a sweet tooth decided to visit him.

"Tea would be fine, milk and sugar if you have any. Otherwise plain is alright." He was startled when she took the handles from Shinichi and began wheeling it in the direction of the sitting room. "You go finish your breakfast first, I'll set myself up in the lounge."

"Um…" Shinichi hesitated, standing still by the kitchens as he watched her wheel the luggage.

"Don't worry Shinichi-kun. I'll make sure to treat you _nicely_." If Shinichi thought his mother's smile was like the devil's, Chikage's smile was like the lord of Hell itself. It spoke of impending pain and torture, and even though she would not do anything to harm him physically, it was the mental trauma he was more afraid of. "Go on, eat your breakfast." She waved Shinichi away and enter the doorway.

Shinichi was not sure what to expect when he entered the lounge with a pot of tea, milk, and sugar. His own mug of coffee sat on the tray as well, having finished his first cup with his breakfast and he had a feeling he would need a large mug of the caffeinated beverage to endure whatever the woman wanted to unleash on him.

The couches were all pulled to the edges of the room, making a huge space in the middle. The decorative screens that were originally put at the back of the room was pulled out. There was a small pedestal set up at the center of the room with the low coffee table close at hand. Needles, threads, fabrics, and various decorative pieces laid on the table top. Shinichi gulped.

"Thanks Shinichi-kun, just set them on the table." She was busying herself with arranging more things onto the table, a pair of scissors, spools of threads, a pin cushion filled with pins and needles. Needless to say, Shinichi could easily see where this was heading as she pulled out a bunch of fabric. "Now be a dear and change into this."

Hesitantly, and not wanting to offend the woman, Shinichi took the bundle in his hands. He shook it out to reveal a dress. A _long_ white dress with trumpet sleeves and wide neck and silver embroidery around the hems. She pulled out a pile of lace, cut into different shapes and sizes.

"Um…" He glanced between her, the dress in his hands, and the lace now laid on the table, carefully arranged to be away from the pot of tea and his own mug of coffee.

"Go on then, try it on. I've been dying to see this particular piece on a person." She looked way too giddy, to the point where Shinichi had to fear for his life. He wisely decided not to point out the blatant _design_ of the dress and the appropriateness of him wearing such a piece.

He stepped behind the screen with hesitant steps and in pure silence. Hoping to delay the process (and praying the woman would somehow come to her senses and tell him it was a joke). Unfortunately, fate was not so kind and Shinichi was forced to strip out of his current clothes under her prompting.

"Well? How's the fit?" She urged from the other side of the screen. Shinichi dared to look down at the white gown cladding his body. The waist was exceptionally fitting, with the skirt flaring out at the hips. The dress was longer at the back and shorter at the front, with the front just ending above his knees. It gave off the impression there was a train at the end of the dress. The neckline hung just past the clavicle, revealing the vast expanse of skin that was his shoulders and neck. Strangely enough, the _built-in support_ was quite comfortable. It gave off the impression that he had a _figure_ to match the dress.

"I guess...it's ok?" There was no way Shinichi was going to say anything otherwise. But to be honest, having worn so many different types of clothing (all due to the disguise), Shinichi had become used to the feeling of wind under the skirt.

"Then come on out."

Shinichi took a deep breath before stepping out from behind the screen.

"Hm…" She circled around Shinichi before motioning him towards the small pedestal. Obediently, and still wearily, he stood on top. She quickly took the pin cushion in one hand and a piece of lace in another. "I needed someone to wear this before making any design elements…" she said as she pinned it onto the hem. "I need to see how the fabric folds and move on a person."

Shinichi had to resist the urge to step back when she started to pin the lace designs on the neckline.

"There, all done." She stood back to view the masterpiece even as Shinichi struggles to remain still, still fearing what else she may do to him if he disturb this moment of reflection. "Now where's the wig?"

"Upstairs in my room…" He moved down from the pedestal, mindful of his steps and the now elongated train that hovers just above the ground. He assumed she wanted to have a full picture.

Upstairs, Shinichi dared to look at his reflection in the full length mirror hanging inside his wardrobe. If he felt his previous disguises made him look like the girl-next-door, this dress certainly tips the scales. Even with the amount of skin exposure, the dress made him look like a model rather than a normal, everyday person. His own jaws dropped at the design of the dress, how it managed to simultaneously hide the distinctly male anatomy whilst showing the traits commonly associated with female. His own eyes were immediately drawn to his clavicle, the long waist, and the hands as well as the face. The strategically placed lace added style and design to the otherwise plain white dress. However, it still reminded Shinichi too much of a certain style of dress.

"What is she even _thinking_. This is a...wedding dress! Who'd want to wear something like this? What occasion calls for a wedding dress to be worn as a disguise!" He groaned, somehow suspecting the pair of woman to have conspired against him. He rubbed his face, hoping to ease his own distress, before squaring his shoulders and descend down the stairs.

Unfortunately, the door bell decided to ring at the exact moment his feet touched the flooring on the ground floor. Not wanting to waste time, he opened the door instead of answering with the video phone, conveniently forgetting what he was wearing.

"He-..." He was ground to a halt at the sight of the magician standing here on the porch.

"Sorry to bother you so early in the afternoon…"

Shinichi did not bother to let the magician finished the sentence and cursed softly before running up the stairs and slamming the doors of his own room. He leaned on the door, using his own body as a form of barricade. Putting his hands to his chest, he tries to settle his rapidly beating heart as his face heats up. His fingers managed to brush against his throat, where it was devoid of a certain piece of accessory. He let out another curse and quickly search for the choker inside his room. His eyes landed on the desk, where the choker laid innocently with his mobile. Seeing the message light blinking, he unlocked the phone.

The screen displayed the simple message of " _Will be back tonight._ " Glancing up at the sender's contact, he recognised the number belonging to his father.

"Finally." Shinichi could breath easier, and could finally walk the streets as himself and not have to worry about his disguising skills. "That's why 'kaa-san left this morning then…" At first, he thought his mother had another movie shoot, but as she was doing a cameo, it should not have taken so many shots and days. His mother must have travelled to where his father was to disguise as him so that there would be a photo of Kudo Shinichi entering Tokyo with his father.

Downstairs, Kaito was dumbstruck when his Lady suddenly bolted. But not before letting a string of words that sounded awfully similar to ones heard at heist locations. He shook his head, wondering if he had heard wrong.

"But there's something _different_ in her voice…" He frowned, still standing on the threshold between the porch and and foyer. The timbre of her voice was slightly lower than what he remembered.

"Oh Kaito! That's quick." She did not seem surprised as she met him in the foyer. "You've improved."

"That was mean 'kaa-san. You just had to put me face to face with my worst nightmare." Kaito shuddered at the memory. His mother had been crueler than usual that morning, stripping him down to his boxers before tying him to a chair and positioning said chair in front of an aquarium screen saver. The moment he opened his eyes, he was greeted with images of the digital fishes swimming about. It did not help when his mother had been sadistic enough to position multiple screens so that no matter where Kaito look, there was an image of those bug-eyed creatures.

'Maybe I should have been glad she has yet to discover VR devices…' He visibly cringe when his mother smiled sweetly at him. He still wondered how he managed to escape the chair and ropes. He faintly remembered several of his doves coming to his rescue but the exact method was something beyond him.

"Well, what are you doing here?" She asked, hands fiddling with the pins on the pin cushion strapped to her wrist.

"I'm here to make sure you're not going to traumatize Irie-chan." Kaito knew his mother's antics. And by the looks of it, he was too late to save his Lady. However, at least he hoped to minimize the mental damage. "I should ask you the same thing."

"The lovely dear said she'd help me a bit." She waved towards the stairs. "Now, why don't you go up and find her for me? There's still a bit more work to do on the dress before I move on to the next one." By the way she said the words, she meant for Kaito to bring her down by any means possible, regardless of whether it meant bodily harm on Kaito or not. Even though he did not think his Lady would resort to physical harm, there was no guarantee when it comes to a startled female.

Kaito did not doubt that his Lady only agreed to help out of the goodness of her own heart when his mother unleashed the full force of her guilt-inducing-puppy-eyes. He sighed, gently closing the front doors and simultaneously muttered the usual "Pardon the intrusion" to no one in particular. He changed to a pair of guest slippers before walking up the staircase, each step heavier than previous as he remembers his Lady was staying at Kudo Shinichi's room.

He knocked on the door but was soon concerned when he did not hear any reply or sound. The second time, he called out for his Lady.

"Are you alright in there?" He asked. Thankfully, this resulted in some rustling sound. "I must apologise for my mother. She can be a bit…" To be honest, Kaito did not have any words to describe his mother other than a menace but he did not think it should be said. Especially since his mother was likely to be listening in.

"I'm fine." His Lady's muffled voice came through the door before opening slightly, revealing his Lady to be wearing a pair of slim glasses that Kaito did not see previously. He held back his frown, not liking how is Lady choose to suddenly don on the spectacles. He noticed her voice was back to normal.

'Probably because she was startled by my presence then.' He concluded. His Lady's change in timbre must be a result of her surprise.

"'Kaa-san asked me to make sure you're alright and to come get you." He stepped backwards, hoping to look less intimidating. 'Not that she looks to be the sort that could be easily intimidated.'

He could detect slight hesitance in her voice as she tries to close the door. Kaito made no move to stop her from escaping. 'I might help her to escape even if that means it'll incur my mother's wrath.'

"Um...could you...close your eyes for a moment?" She sounded uncertain, though Kaito chalked it up to his Lady being embarrassed by whatever outfit his mother had coerced her into.

Obediently he closed his eyes, ears hearing the opening of the doors as the hinges creaked. A moment later, he felt fabric wrap around his eyes in a blindfold manner. He had the sudden urge to jump away and rip the blindfold away.

"I'm sorry. But could you keep it on? I'll guide you down the stairs. It's just...I don't...want you to see me like this…"

It confirmed to Kaito that his mother definitely put his Lady in something embarrassing. He felt the touch on his elbow, to which he had to hold back another reflexive instinct to jump away. Kaito took hold of the hand and gave a reassuring pat.

"I'm sure you'll take good care of me." He said, making sure a smile was present on his face.

"Thank you for trusting me." She sounded extremely sincere to the point where Kaito could not fault her for being so reserved and shy.

Slowly, they made their journey down the stairs. Kaito nearly stumbled on the first few flights, though it had nothing to do with his clumsiness and more to do with his Lady's hesitation. Her strange behaviour continued as they descended resulting in her tripping on the final step. Kaito reflexively held out his arm to steady his Lady, coming into contact with flesh and lace. It was then he noticed the strange sensation underneath his palm. It felt slightly unnatural to him, too artificial and stiff. His fingers gripped onto the satin-like texture, feeling how his palm can cup the bundle of fabric. Realising which body part he was feeling, he quickly let go as though he was burned, all the while trying to hide his embarrassment and blush.

"My apologies." He turned away to the opposite side, hands tightening into a fist at his back. "I had not meant to do something so ungentlemanly."

"It's fine." There was no hint of anger or embarrassment from her tone of voice. "It's my fault for tripping anyways."

Kaito found it strange for his Lady to brush such an incident off so lightly. Most girls he knew would have thrown him across the hallway or induced bodily harm on him. But not his Lady, who sounded too calm as she took hold of his hands once more and led him down the quiet corridor.

'She should have been reluctant to initiate any sorts of contact after _that_.'

"Here." Her voice cut through his mind. "The seat's behind you."

"Oh good, you've brought her here. What's this?" His mother sounded confused.

"I can't exactly let him see _me_ like this Chikage-san." His Lady sounded extremely desperate. "I'm...I'm…"

Kaito was sure his Lady was flustering, gesturing at the ensemble she had on her. He was now extremely curious to see what she was wearing. He remembered seeing a glimpse of white when she opened the door and before she disappeared up the stairs. He figured it was a white summer dress or a long skirt.

'But she would have no reason to be shy if it were the case. Maybe it was made with a revealing fabric?'

"Oh fine." His mother sighed. "Then stand back up on the pedestal while I finish the final touches." There was some rustling of fabric that indicated his Lady had moved towards her designated position. "Here, put this on as well."

"Chikage-san!" His Lady cried out, half whimpering, half in frustration. "This...It's…"

"Yes, it's as you've guessed." His mother confirmed. Kaito fidgeted from his position, too antsy to sit still as curiosity piqued. Now he really wanted to see what the fuss was all about.

"Don't move around so much now. I need to pin the rest of the lace applique on the dress."

"But…" There was another rustling of fabric, no doubt his Lady had moved when there was a sudden yelp of pain.

"I told you not to move." His mother admonished.

In the next few moments of silence, Kaito decided he could risk the two female's wrath and slowly (silently) removed his blindfold. He blinked to clear out his eyes and prepare it for the sudden assault of light.

Before him stood his Lady with her back towards him. He could see a white lacey veil hanging on her head, draping over her shoulders, over the equally white dress. The flower appliques were artfully arranged on the hem of the skirt and to the backside that it looked like flowers and vine sprouted from the floor and wrapped around her body. He unknowingly stood up, wanting to see the front of the dress. His mother seems to have sensed him and glanced over in his direction with a small smile playing across her lips. She placed a finger on her lips to make sure he stayed silent. Kaito nodded and remained as he was, hoping that his mother would provide the opportunity for him to take a better view. His mind was already conjuring different images of his Lady, all dressed in white.

"Ok, stay still." Kaito was not sure whom his mother was addressing but he saw how she positioned his Lady's head so she would be looking directly at the floor. She motioned for Kaito to conjure something. There was only piece of prop suitable for such an occasion and he quickly did an inventory check. Looking about, he saw a few pieces of lace and ribbon lying about and without the usual smoke, he produced a small bouquet of white roses and began wrapping the flowers into an artful arrangement before handing it over to his mother. "Good. Now hold this."

His Lady's head suddenly snapped up when handed the bouquet but she still said nothing. Kaito figured she was too shocked.

"Head down. You're supposed to have an image of the blushing bride at the altar." She admonished once more, tipping his Lady's head back down. His mother then motioned for Kaito to come over. "Ok, now you. Over here."

Kaito's breath was immediately taken away at the sight of his Lady. Her face was bowed low, as though trying to hide within the bouquet. The veil may have obstructed the view but Kaito could still see the small pink blush on her face. The dress, while not revealing, showed off her elegant figure.

"Oh my…" He unconsciously whispered out loud. His Lady's head suddenly snapped up.

His mother must have forcefully removed the pair of glasses for bright blue eyes stared straight at Kaito. It more than just took his breath away, Kaito felt as though his heart had stopped at the very moment.

His Lady let out a small "eep" before glancing frantically left and right. She tripped on her way down the pedestal as she tries to rush over to the screens. Kaito caught her just in time to ensure she would not fall onto her face. Unfortunately, his hands once again landed on an embarrassing position. His Lady was quick to recover and hastily retreated behind the screen, all the while Kaito stared at his hands.

Kaito could still feel the stiffness underneath his palm. The feeling of unnaturalness beneath the fabric. He stared at his palm once more before glancing up, mouth opened in preparation for an apology.

"CHIKAGE-SAN!" It was strange that his Lady chose to direct her frustration at his mother than himself. Another odd behaviour added to the growing list.

"Come now, I needed to see the whole picture. Surely you should have expected that." His mother did not bother to hide the amusement. And by the loud sigh, it looks as though his Lady had expected as much. "Now, how about a change of costume? Kaito, hand these over will you?"

His mother piled up a bundle of black and white fabric onto his arms. He had a feeling he knew what this costume would be. Hesitantly, he took the steps towards the screen.

"I promise to close my eyes." He tries to assure his Lady. "And I do apologize for breaking your trust early on."

She sighed behind the screen. "It's fine. I should have guessed something like that would have happened. I don't blame you." She sounded resigned, slowly emerging from behind the screen.

Kaito could finally have a better look at his Lady, now with the veil pulled back and the bouquet hanging loosely in her hands.

"You really have nothing to be embarrassed about. You look...wonderful, astonishing, indescribable." He produced a stem of violet rose from his remaining stash of flowers on his person and tucked it between her ear. "Words cannot begin to describe your beauty at the moment."

Her eyes widened as she reached up to touch the flower, fingers barely skimming over the surface of the petal.

"You don't really mean that." She said after a moment, her voice soft like a whisper. "It's not what you really think…" Her hair fell down and obstructed her face as she bowed her head down to hide her expression.

"I truly mean those words." He reached out to place his hand on her chin so that he can lift her face up to see those sapphire eyes. Kaito saw pain reflected in the depths of blue. "Believe me when I say that even the goddesses would be jealous of your beauty."

She turned away, disappearing back behind the screen, snatching the clothes in the process.

"I don't mind if you stayed…" Her soft voice barely audible through the rustling of fabric and Kaito quickly turned away. He saw his mother snicker by the pedestal, hands on her mouth as though to muffle the sound. He cast a glare in her direction.

"I think I'll wait in the kitchens." He offered, knowing his Lady was too embarrassed but still wanted to be courteous to him. "If you don't mind, I'll just make myself a cup of tea and wait for you to finish." There were a few inconsistencies about his Lady that did not coincide with the image that he had already formed, and he wanted to take this opportunity to actually understand his Lady rather than just taking everything on face value.

"Oh, it won't be long. I promise to have her back to you before the hour's through." His mother waved Kaito away, seemingly having decided she had no more use of him.

Kaito had intended to come rescue his Lady from his mother's clutches, yet he had created an even more problematic situation with his presence. He wondered what he could do to make up for his indiscretions and to be within his Lady's good graces again.

'Though, by the sounds of it, she already forgave me.'

 **-TBC-**


	15. While the end is neigh

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: THIS IS NOT THE END. I repeat, this is not the end. It only seems that way so rest your horses, I do intend for the pair to come together. Also, slight spoilers for episode 853/854 (manga 921-924) and Episode ONE.

* * *

 **Ch15: While the end is neigh, it's really just the beginning**

Finally, after nearly a month, Shinichi could step out of the house as himself. He thanked his lucky stars for his father to return back to Tokyo just before the school started. Dressed in his uniform, he walked towards the Mouri Detective Agency, hoping to surprise his childhood friend.

"Shinichi?!" Ran exclaimed when she saw Shinichi standing at the stairs.

"Yo!" He tries to act as carefree as possible, though the angered look on Ran's face made it difficult not to scamper away in fear. She stomped down the staircase, reaching the ground floor at record time. Immediately, she attacked Shinichi, who only barely avoided the naked fist to his face. Though, he had not been expecting Ran to hurl her bag at his torso. He grunted as the heavy, and lumpy, bag made contact. "Ran, why did you change tactics?" He groaned, slowly straighten himself up but still maintaining his hand across his abdomen.

"You Detective Otaku! Do you know how worried I've been?!" She let her bag drop to the ground and hugged the life out of Shinichi, tighter than he expected and almost on par with the hugs he received from his mother.

"Ran, you're over-reacting." He patted her on the back. "Besides, I did promise to come back, so I thought I'd surprise you and we can walk to school together, just like old times."

"And you expect me not to be mad at you?" She playfully punched Shinichi at the shoulders before picking up her own bag and pushing it into his hands. "You're carrying that for me today."

"I've become a pack mule then?" He took the bag graciously. Although he might complain, he knew better than to refuse her _requests_.

"You're going to be my _servant_ for the rest of the **week**." She turned, placing her hands on her hips. "You're going to make it up for worrying me."

"Can I settle for a trip to Beika Aquarium instead?" He suggested, hoping for a lesser sentence than being at her beck and call.

"Hm…" She looked contemplative as she walked in front of Shinichi, hand tapping her chin and glancing back at Shinichi every now and then. "I'll only consider it if you're paying for the whole day AND take me to that new cake shop in the shopping district AND include a dinner as well."

"Ran, do you think I grow money?" Shinichi made a quick calculation, his pocket money may not cover everything. Not with the amount Ran wanted to spend. He could use the platinum card his parents left him but he really wanted to save that for emergencies.

"Fine, I'll let you out of dinner but the cake shop stays." She sounded all too smug, as though she had expected Shinichi to counter her offer.

"Alright. Aquarium and cake, I'll even throw in a stop at the gift store." He remembered how Ran had acted the last time they were at Tropical Land and somehow managed to guilt trip him to buying the squirrel soft toy. He hoped by offering to buy something up front, she would at least be lenient in the spending.

"How _generous_ of you. But that does not excuse you from becoming my servant of the day."

Shinichi only hoped to survive the day of school, the nosy inquiries from his fellow classmates, the invasive questionings by the Suzuki heiress, and Ran's possible sadistic streak. 'I think I may have bitten more than I could chew…'

As expected, his classmates immediately pounced on him the moment he stepped into the room. 'At least I wasn't ambushed at the lockers.' They crowded around him, all asking questions at the same time, some teasing him about Ran. Shinichi felt overwhelmed, paranoid to the point that he slowly tries to distance himself from his classmates. None of them took notice of the change in behaviour but Ran somehow saw his need for escape and came to his rescue.

"Alright, alright. Break it up." She pushed her way towards Shinichi and made a show to retrieve her bag from him. "Remember Shinichi, you owe me."

Shinichi laughed nervously, rubbing the center of his chest where Ran had poked at him. Their classmates whistled and catcalled, shouting "Newly weds!" to which both Ran and Shinichi scowled back. Normally, they would have denied such claims vehemently but they were both too tired of their teasing and decided to just ignore their comments.

"So? The husband finally decided to return huh?" Sonoko managed to dismiss the rest of their classmates, using the limited time before class to begin her harassment of Shinichi.

"You know, we're both actually quite tired of everyone assuming we're together…" Shinichi dropped down to his seat with a loud thump. Ran nodded in kind. "Just because we're childhood friends, it doesn't instantly make us a pair."

" _Now_ you're saying that? Really? Denial much?" She placed her hands on her hips, cocking her head to one side in disbelief. "The pair of you were always together, and let's not forget how you, Detective, defended Ran back when you were still a kid. I'm quite sure you've had a crush on here ever since you've first met."

Shinichi could feel his face heating up at the mention of that particular incident back when he was still in kindergarten. Looking at Ran, she only showed confusion. Probably because it had never crossed her mind; that she never realised his feelings for her. Not that it matters anymore, seeing as Ran seemed to have moved on. Speaking of which, he should settle the London matter with her as well, just to clear the air between them.

As though reading his thoughts, Ran looked at him with the same contemplative expression. Her eyes widened a fraction as she came to a realisation. "Um...Shinichi," but before she could continue any further, the bell chimed.

"We'll talk at lunch, I don't think the soccer club captain is sadistic enough to call a lunch time practice. Plus we're on the final year of high school, and as third years, we'll be retiring from the club.

"Right, before I forget." Sonoko did a double take and turned back to where Shinichi was sitting. Shinichi flinched when her eyes zoomed in on him. "Here, that's the invitation to the Suzuki gallery opening. Seeing as you're here, I'll hand this to you instead of having it posted to the mansion. It's for your parents, though you can come if you want." She sounded as though inviting Shinichi was just an afterthought.

"Jeez, don't I feel loved." Still, Shinichi tucked the invitation into his bag before staring boredly out the window.

When lunch finally came, Shinichi and Ran shared a look before both heading out of the classroom, amidst the catcalls of their classmates once more. Shinichi managed to catch a glimpse of worry that Sonoko directed towards Ran before closing the door. No doubt the heiress knew what their conversation was about. The pair headed up to the roof, hoping for some privacy for their conversation.

"Shinichi," Ran hesitated on putting words to her thoughts.

"It's ok Ran, I...kind of expected it." Shinichi thought the least he could do was to tell her of his _suspicions_. "My mother told me, or actually scolded me, for not being more considerate. And the kid mentioned you might be seeing someone else."

"Conan-kun said that?" She did not sound surprised.

"Yea, I met the kid and his mother at Honolulu International Airport, though only briefly. He was sad to leave you but asked that at least I make sure not to leave you alone this time. He thought you might want someone to keep you company."

"He's a considerate boy. Unlike someone I know." Ran glared at Shinichi playfully.

"Well, I've learnt my lesson." Shinichi tries to evade the stare, scratching his cheeks in embarrassment. "But that's not what I really wanted to say."

He paused, looking at Ran directly in the eye. She took a gulp as though to ready herself for what comes next.

"Look, you don't have to feel obligated about what I said in London. I only told you how I feel because, at the time, I was scared that I would lose you." It pained Shinichi to say the words but he knew it must be said. "I don't blame you for moving on, but I do hope we can at least still be friends."

"Shinichi." There were tears in her voice rather than her eyes as she took a step forward and brought Shinichi into another hug. This one was less violent than the one he received in the morning. But at the same time, it felt more painful. "We're more than friends. We're family."

If that was not confession of Ran knowing about Shinichi being Conan, he was not sure what else could be considered as a confession. Still, Shinichi would like to delude himself into thinking that as long as Ran does not confront him directly, not accuse him, then at least he could allow himself to think Ran was still in the dark.

"Thank you." He whispered, wrapping his arm around Ran and patting her back. They stayed together for a few more moments, Shinichi felt something like a sob from Ran but decided to say nothing. When they finally pulled away, Shinichi noticed the slightly teary eyes. "Ran, I…"

"If you're thinking of apologising," Ran intercepted, "then you can think again. I'm not going to be mad at you for leaving me hanging in London, although I probably should. But I am going to be angry at you for not contacting me after the incident in London. Do you know how much sleep I lost because of that? Did you know I was worried as well because of all the bombing going on? You could have at least left a word in my voice mail, or even with Professor Agasa. I'd even be fine if you've left word with Conan-kun. But you didn't do anything." She placed a hand on his cheeks, as though examining him for the very first time. "I'm glad now that you seem fine. But not hearing from you...it's…"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you." He placed his own hands over Ran's. "It was never my intention."

"Of course I would be worried about my little brother."

And Ran was dropping hints again, as though trying to have Shinichi admit to being Conan. But Shinichi held firm.

"I thought I was the older one here." He said playfully, letting her hand drop back down before stepping away.

"It doesn't matter, I still feel like I should take care of you. After all, I'm the one who cooks and clean. Unlike a certain _somebody_ who's always stuck inside a book." She poked at Shinichi in the chest. "Now, you're coming over for dinner tomorrow, I have practice tonight so I won't be home to make dinner. But at least I can make sure you'll have one meal that's actually nutritious."

"Does that mean you'd want me over regularly?" Now Shinichi was worried, it seems Ran was quite set on taking care of Shinichi.

"As often as I can. I know you Shinichi." She smiled fondly, "you can cook but you won't. You'll live off convenient store bento and instant ramen if you can. Only when there's someone eating with you, then you'll actually eat something nutritious."

"I'm sure even you understand the chore of cooking for a single person." Shinichi shook his head, resigned to somehow make space in his schedule to have dinner with her once a week.

"Which is why you'll have dinner with my dad and me, or I'll come over and you will be forced to cook. Probably we can do both."

"You're really determined to see me fatten up don't you?" He looked down at himself, surely he did not look underfed.

"You look too thin Shinichi. And I worry, constantly, even if we're not _together_ like everyone else wanted us to be."

"Speaking of which, the kid mentioned something about you seeing someone at the moment?" Shinichi thought now would be a good time to bring up the issue, despite the pain in his heart. Though the pain seemed to have dulled somewhat. Shinichi chalked it up to the passage of time, even if his heart was telling him otherwise.

Ran blushed, a tinge of delicate pink on her cheeks as she turned away from Shinichi.

"And as your supposed brother, I have the right to see if he's a good match for you. Probably run a background check to make sure he's not a criminal as well." Shinichi playfully threatened. He mentally calculated the time needed to run a full background check, throwing in several days worth of investigation and tailing before coming up with a detailed report on each and every flaw of this person.

"He's not a criminal." Ran reached over to open the service door to the roof. "Though I don't feel like talking about him on an empty stomach."

"Right, lunch." Shinich nodded.

"I'm assuming you've forgotten yours." Ran stated rather than question, to which Shinichi nodded. "Good thing I've forgotten mine as well. You can pay for my share."

Shinichi shook his head. Ran might seem to be guilt tripping in to pay for the measly lunch, but it was her way of saying she accepted his apology.

Thankfully, the rest of the day passed in normalcy filled with boring lectures. At the end of the day, Shinichi bid Ran a farewell before leaving the school grounds as his childhood friend had afternoon practice. Shinichi had grocery shopping to do, especially now that his parents have flown off again to who-knows-where. Shinichi was actually quite surprised at their sudden departure, especially since his mother had been keen to meet up with the Kurobas earlier in the month.

'Then again, they were flighty from the very start.' Shinichi thought as he browsed through the selection of fresh produce. He picked up a large selection of fruits before heading over to the coffee aisle. Shinichi was quite sure that if Ran had come with him to the supermarket, she would be tutting at him for his choice of food.

Picking up his usual brand of coffee powder, Shinichi's eyes were then drawn to the shelf next to the creamer and coffee selection. The shelf that held chocolate powders. He spent a fair amount of time just looking at the different brands before suddenly jolting from his position.

"What am I doing?" He muttered, shaking his head. He was not sure what came over him to suddenly want to buy chocolate powder. However, he still picked out a can and placed it into his basket. Even if he had to struggle between choosing the sweetened, pre-mixed, chocolate drink and the pure chocolate powder.

With his hands full of grocery (and his dinner bento), Shinichi was surprised to see someone standing in front of the Kudo gates.

"Can I help you?" He called out on the approach, only realising he recognised the face. Internally, he cursed.

"You're Kudo Shinichi." The magician stated. "Is Irie-chan inside? No one's answering."

"She's…" Shinichi considers what to tell the magician. The thought of telling him the truth sprang to mind, but he was sure it would cause the magician more distress than good. He could let the magician down gently or he could be cruel and tell the magician to mind his own business. Not wanting to further ruin his image in the magician's mind, Shinich opted to break the news gently. "She left this morning. Did she not contact you?" That sounded more blunt than Shinichi would have liked.

The magician narrowed his eyes, as though suspicious of Shinichi's words. He gulped, hoping the magician had not seen through his lies.

"No." He ultimately said, shoulders sagging slightly. Shinichi could not bear to see the magician down.

"Her phone might have died again. She tends to forget to charge it." He walked passed the magician, nudging open the gates. "Do you want to come in?" He felt he should at least offer it, knowing it was unlikely the magician to accept the invitation.

"No thanks. There's no need for you to be courteous towards me. We barely know each other. And frankly, I don't like detectives all that much." The magician turned away, not bothering with a single greeting towards Shinichi.

"Goodbye." Shinichi muttered to the retreating magician's back. He suddenly felt extremely cold and shivered as he head back indoors.

 **-TBC-**


	16. Maybe it was fate

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: A little jump back (again, I seemed to be doing this quite often with this fic. Have I confused you all yet? [[laughs evilly]]). This time, more Kaito, less Shinichi.

* * *

 **Ch16: Maybe it was fate**

Kaito growled as he walked down the streets, not bothered at all by the pedestrians jumping out of his way. Neither was he bothered by the fact that people seemed to be casting an apprehensive look in his direction as he stomped his way to the station. He was more bothered with the situation as a whole.

Kaito had been hoping to surprise his Lady today. He knew that the schools in the area would have started their term already, and Ekoda would have also started theirs if it not for the sudden electrical failure at school (something that, for once, Kaito had no hand in). Kaito thought he could spend the day with his Lady but when his text messages were unanswered, he became afraid something might have happened (Beika's high crime rate was worrisome to the point that Kaito had often set his doves to tail his smallest critic when he was still living with the Mouris). His intention to check up on his Lady at the Kudo household came up empty, even as he waited by the locked gates. At one point, he considered jumping the walls the picking the locks but he doubted the Kudos or his Lady would appreciate it.

After a long wait (it felt long even if it were only half an hour), just as Kaito was about to turn away, he was met by Kudo Shinichi. For the detective to tell him that his Lady had left without a word to him had stung. To actually hear that the detective somehow knew his Lady's habits stung even more. He had hoped that the detective was not as close as he suspected them to be. For the past few weeks, he thought he might have a chance with his Lady.

"Why." He gritted, forcefully slamming the train pass on the gates. Even the station masters were startled at his anger.

His train ride back to Ekoda was tense, everyone gave him a wide berth. He was able to grab a seat on the bench that had quickly emptied on his approach. Even the old lady seemed to have sensed his aura and immediately walked into the next compartment filled to the brim with commuters.

When Kaito felt his phone vibrate, he had the sudden urge to throw the phone out the window. But he still decided to take a look, just on the off chance that it was important. Looking at the notification, there were two consecutive messages. Several swipes of the screen revealed the sender to be his Lady. Immediately, he clicked open the earlier message.

" _Kaito-kun, I jus…_ "

The first message cut off after a few characters. Kaito realised the detective was right, that his Lady really must have forgotten to charge her phone. A small smile played on his lips at his Lady's clumsiness. The next message was thankfully longer.

" _Kaito-kun, sorry about that last message. I was trying to text you on my way to the airport but my phone died again. I probably should have charged it last night. I'm back in Hokkaido now, at home. Anyways, I just want to say I had a fun time in Tokyo, thanks mostly to you. So...Thank You, and goodbye._ "

Kaito's fingers tightened around the phone. Her words sounded so final, it was as though she did not plan on returning.

'Well, if that's the case, then I'll have to visit instead.' A small smile played on his lips as he typed a reply back.

" _If you had told me earlier, I would have escorted you to the airport._ "

Within moments, she replied his text.

" _Don't you have school?_ "

" _Not today. School was cancelled because of electrical failure. I went over to Beika to see if you were there but…_ " Kaito stopped his typing. It sounded like he was whining. Quickly, he deleted the last sentence and retyped to something more suitable and hopeful. " _I would have liked to wish you 'Farewell' and 'Safe trip' but I guess I will have to settle for a 'I'll come visit you during the holidays' instead._ " Kaito added several emojis of a waving hand. That sentence sounded a lot better.

Kaito stared at the screen for the reply that never came for the rest of his train ride. He guessed that perhaps his Lady was busy with something else. Looking at the time, he suspects his Lady was preparing for dinner.

'Speaking of, I need to drop by the Nakamori's tonight. I promised to go over for dinner…' Kaito held back the groan as he exit from the station. 'Aoko would be grilling me for more information.'

Ever since Kaito somehow admitted reluctantly to having feelings towards his Lady, his childhood friend had not left him alone. Constantly reminding him to not be over-the-top with his romantic gestures and not to spring sudden visits on her (not that Kaito listened to this particular piece of advice and he definitely suffered for it).

He took a longer route back home, not wanting to return to an empty house. He timed it so that by the time he reached his street, Aoko would have dinner ready and he could join them immediately for the meal. True to his speculations, Aoko was just coming out of her house when Kaito passed by. She quickly gestured him over.

"Where did Kaito go?" She asked, gathering the cutlery as she pushed his father to clean up the mess on the table filled with newspaper and manila folders.

"Here and there." Kaito took a random seat and began helping out with folding the newspaper in sight. Aoko hummed at his response as she returned to the table and asked Kaito to set the places.

"Kaito, what's wrong with you?" Aoko asked as she placed down the bowl of rice. "You're brooding."

"I am not." Kaito tries to figure out what gave his emotions away. Glancing at the closest reflective surface, which happened to be the window, he saw nothing out of place.

"Kaito is brooding and Aoko can easily see it. You've been extremely quiet and complacent. Normally, you would have been watching TV or reading the papers. But you were just sitting there." She pointed out. Even the inspector looked worriedly in his direction. "See? You even have 'tou-san spooked."

"It's nothing." He waves a dismissive hand.

"Humph. Fine. If Kaito won't talk to Aoko, Aoko will just have to set Saguru-kun on Kaito."

"That's abuse of authority!" Kaito might have respected Aoko's choice for a partner, but he was not prepared to admit the blond detective as part of family.

"Girl trouble huh?" The inspector wisely deduced. "You know I treat you like a son and wouldn't mind you coming over to talk to me about things like that. You could use some friendly advice."

Kaito frowned, as much as he considered the inspector to be a pseudo-father figure, it had never crossed his mind to discuss such things with him. He knew he should be glad to have some male guidance in his life but he felt this was not something he could discuss just yet.

"So who's this lucky girl? For a long time, I thought you'd end up with Aoko."

"'Tou-san!" Aoko slammed the plate in front of her father. Both male winced at the sudden display of anger. The inspector let out a strained laugh.

"It's true though. I think everyone thought the two of you would end up as a pair." The inspector edged away from his daughter.

"For your information, Kaito has his sights set on someone named Irie Shiina." Aoko glared at her father before softening her gaze towards Kaito. "Did Kaito go and meet up with Shiina-chan this morning?"

He arranged the plates and bowls in front of him, wanting to delay his response, as Aoko's insistent looks made it difficult to ignore the question altogether.

"Is it so bad to suddenly want to visit someone?" Kaito replied albeit slightly defensively and entirely out-of-character. He was normally not as short with his childhood friend but mentions of his journey to Beika and his subsequent meeting with the Eastern Detective had irritated Kaito.

"What happened Kaito?" Aoko asked with concern, her brows furrowed as she sat by his side.

"Nothing." He took up the chopsticks and muttered the usual "Itadakimasu" before digging into the fried chicken and rice. However, Aoko was not one to relent. She was determined to figure the source of his irritation. The moment all the food was finished and the plates were cleared, Aoko pushed a cup of hot chocolate into Kaito's hands.

"It's not nothing if Kaito sounded so reluctant."

He knew he was worrying his friend and sister but he could not put into words the strange feeling in his chest. It was not so much a pain or an ache, rather it was a nagging feeling that _something_ was going to happen. If he was honest with himself, when he confronted the detective, it was not really an irritation that he felt but more like a sense of familiarity. It gnawed him to be able to have such feelings towards the detective and he could not put a finger to the reason behind it.

"Kaito?" Aoko placed her hand on top of his, as a show of support of some kind.

"I…" His eyes trailed towards the TV to the side. The inspector seems to be extremely focused on the newscaster's report.

" _The Suzuki Gallery will have its grand opening this coming weekend._ " The scene cut to a shot of the art gallery in question. " _The gallery will be displaying a selection of artworks from the Suzuki private collection, including the 3 famous Sunflowers by van Gough owned by the Suzuki family. We have also received information that all of Kaitou KID's previous heist targets will also be displayed in a special wing dedicated to the elusive phantom thief. Advisor Suzuki Jirokichi had commented that he had just recently purchased a beautifully crafted art piece for the occasion._ "

The screen showed shots of the various artworks with the final shot landing on an interview with the Advisor, posing in front of a glass case on a pedestal. On it was a pendant, a clear gem inside a rose-gold cage shaped like a rose. It laid on a black velvet cushion with spotlights trained on the metal.

" _This particular piece_ ," he began to explain with flourish in his hand motions, " _is called Eternal Rose. Its previous incarnation was only a singular gem set as a ring, but time had deformed the metal of the ring. I have employed artisans and designers to construct this delicate metal cage for the gem. The 10-carat diamond remained untouched from when it was first set as a ring…_ " The advisor continued to describe how he came to be the owner of the gem.

At first glance, the gem seemed exceedingly small to Kaito. But there was one shot of the gem that caught Kaito's attention, where the Advisor took the pendant out of the case and held it in his hands. It just so happens to be passing by a window and Kaito swore he saw a small glint of red reflecting internally. Kaito's jaws were immediately locked as he realises the high possibility of the gem being the Pandora he had been looking for.

"Kaito." Aoko growled beside him.

"What was that again Aoko?" Kaito was not sure why she was angered, especially since he had not played a single prank that evening (not even showing slight-of-hand as he so often does during these evenings). Aoko sighed heavily.

"Kaito becoming easily distracted is nothing out of the ordinary. Aoko should actually be more relieved to see Kaito was his usual self again." She rose from her seat and began the arduous task of washing up the dishes. Sitting on the couch opposite the TV, the elder inspector growled before cackling then cursing.

"That KID will definitely try his hand, especially after the showy-ness of that Suzuki." If Kaito did not know any better, he would have thought the inspector was having a sudden personality disorder or, to a lesser degree, became an evil villain. His laugh was somewhat similar to those over-the-top evil mastermind. "But curse that man! He should know better than to show off the new security measures!"

The Inspector threw a cushion towards the TV screen as Advisor Suzuki led the reporter through the various rooms, rambling off the various securities that was installed. Including infra-red cameras alongside the normal cameras, motion detectors, sound detectors, pressure sensors, just to name a few. Kaito rubbed his mental hands at such a challenge. It was not often he found a Pandora candidate AND a challenge at the same time.

'Though, knowing Snake and his gang, I'm heading into the _dangerously challenging_ instead of the usual _mentally stimulating challenging_ area.' As the reporter continued their narration, alongside Nakamori keibu's rant and Aoko's constant sighs, Kaito began composing his heist note in his mind, all the while nodding in time with the rant and offering condolences to Aoko.

 **-TBC-**


	17. The definition of a gentleman

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: The following appears at the end of Ch14, after when our beloved Shin-chan has finished trying on all the different dresses and were sent back to his room to change into something more 'normal' for an everyday outing. This interlude is in partial response to Shana Fujioka, seeing Shana is the originator of the prompt I do try to fulfill the request as best as I can.

* * *

 **Interlude (1): The definition of a gentleman**

When his mother approached him inside the Kudo Manor's kitchen, apparently finished with whatever deeds she had planned for his poor Lady, Kaito had to edge back from his seat in fear. The look on her mother's face was one he associated with _divine retribution_ often resulting in some form of trauma for him.

"'Kaa-san…?" he asked tentatively, with an almost whisper-like quality to his voice. Fear did not begin to describe his emotions as his mother's mouth turned from a smile to a grin and finally to something that he had only seen drawn on dolls that haunt dark cellars.

"What was that?" She asked, stalking to where Kaito sat glued to the wooden seat.

"What was what?" He replied with a gulp, his throat suddenly felt dry and he reached for the cup on the table, only for his wrist to be clamped down by his mother's hand. Like metal cuffs, it secured his hand in place, flat onto the table top.

"On the stairs. When you groped poor Shin-chan on your way down from my little errand." Kaito managed to catch a glimpse on the incisors suddenly so visible in her grin. With a little bit of red dye, Kaito was sure his mother would make one very convincing vampire.

"It...I...It's not what you think! I didn't do it on purpose!" Kaito hurriedly tries to tug his hand away, only for fingers to grip onto the wrist tighter than before. Kaito swore he could feel fingernails burying itself into his flesh but he knew his mother was not the type to cause bodily harm (mental harm, on the other hand, was very much likely the consequence).

"Oh really?" She seems to be in disbelief. "I know for a fact you can't keep your own wandering hands away from pretty things, and Shin-chan is so very pretty wouldn't you say?" The raise of her eyebrow caused a shiver in Kaito. No matter the reply, he knew he was quite doomed. By saying he had not touched his Lady, it would be akin to insulting her beauty and gracefulness. However, if he admitted to the deed, his mother would probably lock him in an aquarium at night with nothing but his underwear and bug-eyed scaly things for company.

Another gulp, and hope for something to distract his mother (or probably a miracle at this point in time), he tries to buy time to think up a better answer.

"Well? Care to share your thoughts Kaito?" Her voice was dripping in honey. If Kaito had not known better, he would have thought the witch in his life had somehow given his mother lessons on appearing evil (or probably the other way around but Kaito could not be sure).

"Um...Which answer won't have me needing to enrol in a mental ward, amputating my arms, or making myself blind?" Another few trial tugs revealed his mother was still very much in control of the situation.

"The truth would be nice, though I'd rather you admit to the deed and somehow compensate Shin-chan for your indiscretion." She let go of the arm, possibly sensing his distress. Kaito rubbed the area his mother had held on to, hoping to restore some blood flow to the area.

"Would you believe me if I say it was an accident?" Kaito stood up, striding over to the sink with his half-empty cup in hand in the pretense of wanting to clean up after himself. He knew his mother would not buy into this ploy but it was the best course of action he could come up with to avoid being within grabbing range.

"Of course my dear, you're my son." The sweet smile was still too fake for Kaito to believe and he knew instinctively that she was planning some kind of revenge for him back at home. However, what confused Kaito was why his mother seemed to think it was necessary. "But you are desecrating the Kuroba name you know. Toichi would have never acted like that."

Kaito winced at the mention of his father. He had tried hard to live up to his name, to be a gentlemanly magician (or phantom thief depending on the persona and time of day) even if he does have a streak for mischief.

"You better treat Shin-chan well Kaito, if I hear you've further tarnished the gentlemanly reputation…" The grin, the very horrifying grin, made Kaito nod vigorously just to stop his mother from implanting any more of her ideas into his very much traumatised mind. "Good." Seemingly satisfied, she went to place the now freshly washed and dried cup back inside the cupboard and again within grabbing range.

"Um...Kaa-san...if you don't mind me asking…" Taking a reflexive step back to regain some personal space, Kaito glanced left and right in nervousness. Not wanting his hands to be idle, he took the nearby tea-towel and began folding it in his hands. His mother became silent as she waited patiently for his question. "Why are you so...protective of Her?"

"Her? You me Shin-chan? Because I know her mother."

Kaito frowned at the phrasing. "Know? You mean 'knew' don't you? I thought her mother...passed away?" Kaito sensed he might be missing the whole story, at the same time, he felt he was being lied to.

"You'd be insulting Shin-chan by saying that." His mother flicked his forehead. "Every action Shin-chan takes is a reflection of her mother. Remember that."

Kaito took that as the end of the conversation, and just in time as well as his Lady walked into the kitchen, wearing a pale blue blouse covered with a with high-waist vest and a navy skirt that ended just below her knees. She might not be dressed in the finest silk or adorned with the most eye-catching jewelry, but Kaito's eyes could not help but be drawn to the angelic nature of his Lady. His mouth suddenly became dry again as his Lady approached them by the sink.

"You don't have to do that." She said, eyeing the towel in Kaito's hands. She reached out to take the cloth into her own hands, their fingers brushing for the merest second, a second that seemed like an eternity as electricity shot through his system, leaving him with a tingling warm feeling. "You're guests here in the house, you shouldn't have to clean up."

Before the towel left his grasp, Kaito tightened his fingers and re-took the towel. He did not wish for his Lady to dirty those elegant hands.

"It's nothing." Turning back towards the table in an attempt to hide the growing blush, he focused all his energy to wiping down the wooden furniture. "Why don't you help 'kaa-san with her packing? I'll come over when I'm done here." He hoped he managed to buy a bit of time to calm himself and rid himself of the redness growing on his cheeks. There was a hesitant silence lingering in the room but finally, Kaito heard a rustling of cloth that had Kaito looking up to see his Lady staring at him with wide eyes. The small, brief, nod had his Lady back out of the room with his mother flashing a knowing smile as she followed.

Before his mother stepped out of the threshold, she turned to Kaito as said "you're growing up so fast" in a voice so soft and gentle that Kaito would have missed had he not been trying to focus his attention on the soft padding sounds of footsteps made by his Lady as she moved further away. His mother's voice had Kaito snap his head up in question.

"'Kaa-san?"

"It's nothing deary." She waved a dismissive hand. "We'll pack up really quick so you'll have more time with the lovely Shin-chan."

"'Kaa-san!"

 **-TBC-**


	18. A night to remember

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: And now, we're back to our regular broadcast!~ Did you like the Interlude? It wasn't planned but know that the comments and reviews are incorporated into the story (even though I have pretty much all of it written by now). There's still another Interlude that I'll be posting up soon, to mend some of the plot holes.

* * *

 **Ch17: A night to remember**

Shinichi stood on top of the gallery roof, the party was in full swing downstairs. Music permeated up the various nooks and crannies, through air vents and windows, and Shinichi was glad he had been able to escape from the glitz and glamour. His parents came back just in time for the party (though they did tell Shinichi to go in their stead in case they were held back by persistent editors).

Walking over to the edge of the roof, Shinichi looked down at the crowd and the mingling uniformed officer. The Suzukis had put their foot down on the number of officers present within the party, stating they would ruin the ambience even after Nakamori keibu insisted they would be discrete and remain in casual clothes. Sonoko had been particularly insistent on Shinichi's presence after KID had posted his heist note, which was a spectacle on its own (raining flyers from a blimp and newspaper advertisement AND, if the news reports were to be believed, SMS to Nakamori in the form of emoji icons).

'At least he had the decency to send a copy of the emoji filled message to all his critics.' Shinichi had been startled during class when his phone suddenly vibrated in his pockets. He was quite surprised the thief managed to find his number. When he returned home, he checked his Conan phone on a whim, and found the exact message. He would have chased back the number, though he was sure the thief used a burn phone or even an online program to send the message out. Shinichi actually suspected KID to have pickpocketed several inspector's and officer's phone to send out the messages to the various detectives, he checked with Hattori and found the Osakan detective also received one. He felt somewhat torn at this, knowing that KID did not take the time to personally look for the phone numbers.

The decoding of the message took a bit more effort than usual, it was only after referring to the blimp flyers and the newspaper advertisements that he finally have time, target, and location of the heist. 'It seems KID is embracing the new media instead of relying on the age-old dove mail he used to prefer.'

When the spotlights trained onto the building facade suddenly blinked out, Shinichi knew KID's show was about to start. Instead of returning to the party, he opted to stay on the roof and thus avoiding possible traps and humiliation. He was quite certain KID had something in store for him, given his apparent distaste at his existence (at least when KID was in his civilian persona). Shinichi took the time to walk the perimeter of the roof, noting all the crevices and shadowy corners that could hide KID's gear. Strangely enough, he found none of the usual hooks, smoke bombs, or mirrors. Though there was a line hanging down on of the sides that Shinichi did not bother to boobytrap. Neither was there anything happening on the horizon. There was nothing except for the cheering fans and the dark skies. 'So he won't be trying to perform for the masses then?' Glancing back at the rope again, he walked over to take a closer look without touching anything.

'Probably his secondary escape. I should probably do something about it but…tonight, this heist, something feels different.' Shinichi could feel it in the air even if he was not at the heist location proper. It was just a gut feeling but he had learned (from Hattori) to trust his gut instinct at times like these.

As though prompted by his words, there was a sudden clatter from below. The sounds of mayhem from inside the gallery permeated up the emergency staircase and somehow seemed amplified where Shinichi was standing. He heard curses being shouted, alongside commands for the Task Force, several exclamations of surprise, and at one point even heard Sonoko's voice squealing for "Kaitou KID-sama!". He tries to remain calm, though the nervous tapping of his foot signified otherwise. None too soon, the service entrance opened silently. Shinichi only knew this because he had been facing the entrance instead of looking outwards.

"Oh? A newcomer to my show?" KID tugged on his top hat, casting shadows over the delicate features that Shinichi knew of. It was a pity to lose sight of the amethyst eyes but Shinichi would survive.

"You did invite me to attend." Shinichi nodded, "but you must pardon me for not being there for the main event. Some of your props are difficult to remove and I'd much prefer to remain un-coloured." It was more as a self preservation tactic than actually wanting to miss out on the show. Though he was not going to admit that to KID.

"Ah, but you miss out on all the fun." Even underneath the shadows, the whiteness of teeth from his grin was evident. Shinichi tries not to shiver at the implications KID was hinting at.

KID walked further away from the entrance, heading towards one of the adjacent ledges. He looked as though he was ignoring Shinichi but he knew better than to take things on the surface. No doubt KID was paying close attention to his actions. Shinichi remained as still as he could, not wanting to spook KID. When KID reached the ledge, he turned and looked at Shinichi with surprise and a crooked eyebrow.

"Normally, this is the time where detectives would jump on me." He commented, taking the gem out of his jacket pocket.

"I'm not like other detectives." Shinichi shrugged, motioning for the stilled KID to check his gem. "Well?"

"Hm?" KID hummed, gem held high towards the sky. But with the cloud cover, not a single star could be seen, let alone the moon. KID sighed, like always, but it lacked the sense of disappointment.

"Is it what you've been looking for?" Shinichi tucked his hands back into his trouser pockets. KID flashed another surprised look in his direction, as though he did not expect Shinichi to know these things. Though, given that Shinichi had seen KID when he had been Conan, he was able to conclude that KID was searching for something in particular. "Don't look so surprised."

KID laughed. "No, I shouldn't really be should I? After all, I know Tantei-kun is your cousin and he would tell you everything wouldn't he?" He shook his head, pocketing the gem before turning to face Shinichi fully. "I should be more surprised that you're not taking any steps to stop my escape."

"I…" Shinichi suddenly caught a glint at a distance. Without thinking, he launched himself towards KID, knocking the surprised phantom to the ground, and rolled the pair of them out of the way. He felt something connect with his flesh, searing heat close to his ears, a stab of pain on his shoulders, another across his side, and finally one on the leg. It all happened within a matter of seconds and Shinichi could confidently say there was more than one sniper.

He grunted when they hit a wall, shadowed by the structure that held the entrance. For a moment, everything seemed silent. Even the sound of the crowd could not be heard. Shinichi tries to lift himself up only to stop mid-action. Flashes of pain sparking in his body as he took note of his injuries and the surrounding, ears straining to hear the distant snipers even if it were impossible from such a distance. He let his eyes sweep the visible roof, careful to use his body to cover KID's obvious white. It would not do to show off KID at the moment. Beneath him, KID tries to lever himself upwards, as though to dislodge Shinichi, though he kept his position and laid a stern glare at KID.

"Meitantei!" KID's exclamation should hint Shinichi on the severity of his injuries. After all, the magician thief was known for his calm and collected nature. To hear worry and fear in the voice should be somewhat alarming. Yet Shinichi placed all his attention on remaining calm to notice the change in KID's tone.

"I'm fine." His injuries were not really all that painful when compared to the transformation with the APTX antidote. It was something Shinichi could deal with. Even so, he knew his voice was softer than normal. "I won't say it doesn't hurt, or that it's not serious. Only that I'll live."

He felt wetness seeping through his clothes and did not doubt that his blood was already coating the concrete floor. Shinichi only hoped he would not pass out due to blood loss too soon. There were several things that he needed to do and first would be to help the obvious target, the magician thief, to escape the building. Looking down at KID, Shinichi noted the glaring white tophat still remained stubbornly on the head even after the tackle. An idea began to form as he struggled out of his jacket.

"What…?" KID made a motion to stop Shinichi from moving.

"Stay down." Shinichi hissed, finally able to free himself of his jacket. He could see the large red stain on the side of his waist and shoulder. 'No wonder it was stinging when I took it off.' Shinichi made a quick grab for KID's hat before said magician thief could protest. He then covered KID with his own dark coat and flung the hat as hard as he could across the rooftop and over the edge. "Cover yourself and use your secondary escape now KID!" He hissed with urgency as he made way for KID.

The magician seemed shocked as he made no movement. With Shinichi's jacket hanging loose on top of his head, he could not help but think KID looked cute.

"What are you waiting for!" He growled out louder. Though the intake of breath managed to agitate his wounds and Shinichi could not help but let out a pained hiss before dropping to the ground. "GO!" Shinichi used his remaining strength and pushed KID in the direction where the rope hung, making sure to give the magician thief a small kick on the shin to make him run faster.

KID had no choice but to run across the roof and fling himself over the edge with the rope in hand. Before disappearing down, KID looked across the roof with hesitation. He turned to look in the direction where Shinichi laid still. Shinichi could guess what was going through the thief's mind.

"I'll be fine in a moment. Nakamori-keibu would be up soon. If not, I'm sure my father would find me under my mother's insistence. NOW GO! Don't waste the chance!" Shinichi said in a soft whisper-like voice. He really did not have much strength to mentally hold his pain in check and scold the thief. There was a brief moment when Shinichi felt afraid that KID would run back to him and he could only breath easier when KID seemed resigned as he disappeared over the edge.

Shinichi looked in the direction that the top hat was flung at, the hat was still flying in a straight line but then soon stuttered as though something had hit it before dropping down towards the river running underneath. The hat would be lost with the current so there was no fear of it being used as evidence against KID. Shinichi finally felt relief wash over him as he let himself relax, quite certain that there was a rather large puddle underneath him now. His only hope was for someone to come looking for him soon as he lacked the strength to drag himself over to the nearby entrance.

KID dropped down in the darkened alley with nary a sound, quickly changing out of the white suit which had flecks of rusty red staining the pristine surface. Grimacing, he donned on his change of casual clothes before sprinting across the street to the nearest phone booth. Time was of the essence if he did not want the Meitantei to die due to blood loss. He did not especially want the Meitantei to die on KID's heist. Some small part of Kaito also did not want to see the Meitantei suffering because of his inattentiveness. 'She'd be upset.' Kaito reasoned his Lady would be torn in pieces to hear that Kudo Shinichi was severely injured. Though if he was being honest with himself, he too was torn over seeing the bleeding form of the detective. There was just something in that expression that had triggered Kaito, he swore for a moment, he thought it was his Lady lying there with a tired face instead of the pained detective.

Shaking his head to dislodge such absurd though, he ignored the oncoming traffic as he crossed the road, not bothering to look for the nearest crossing rather he chose to jump over the railings and braving the vehicles. He relied on his instincts to avoid possible collision. Luck was on his side as the streets were quite empty of vehicles at the moment. He hastily pushed aside the glass door to the phone booth, fingers fumbling over the number pad to dial the emergency service number.

'Hurry.' He thought to himself as he tapped impatiently on the top of the phone. 'Why is it taking so long.' Kaito would have sneaked his way into the gallery incognito but having the ambulance close at hand is more of a priority.

" _Emergency Service._ " The feminine voice said calmly.

"There's been an accident at the Suzuki museum. Male, bleeding heavily, shot four times with a gun. Shoulder, hip, and leg. No exit wound on hip and leg. Grazed around the temple and ear." Kaito rattled off the injuries as he remembered it. All the while, he could not help but remember the sight of the sagging detective, panting for breath with a pained expression even as the detective insisted he was fine.

" _An ambulance is on its way and would be there in five minutes. Are you with the victim? Can you help staunch the bleeding? Pressure on the wounds would suffice, if there's a belt, tie it around the leg wound approximately ten centimeters above the wound to limit the blood flow..._ " The helpful feminine voice said and Kaito gave a soft curse. He should have thought of that before jumping down the rope.

"I had to find a phone so I'm not with him at the moment." Kaito bit out reluctantly. He really needed to get back up on the roof. He then remembered Aoko saying something about accompanying Hakuba to the gallery opening because the blond detective also received an invite.

" _Alright then. If you could, stay with the victim..._ " Kaito did not wait for the call to cut off as he slammed the phone back in its place. He took out his mobile to scroll down the contacts list, coming up to Hakuba's number. Dropping in the hundred yen into the pay phone, he quickly dialed the number and hoped the blond detective had managed to extricate himself from his traps.

" _Who's this?_ " Hakuba's irritated voice answered.

"Kudo Shinichi is bleeding out on the roof." Kaito made sure to disguise his voice. "An ambulance has been called and is on its way."

" _KID?_ " The shouts in the background faded quickly as Kaito heard hurried steps. He figured the blond detective must be running up the staircase. " _What happened?_ " Kaito let himself believe the blond detective was worried.

"Something happened. That's all you need to know." There was no need to bring him into the mess that surrounded KID. It was already worrisome that the Meitantei managed to entangle himself. Despite his previous misgivings about the Eastern Detective, he had saved KID's life and Kaito was not one to forget such a debt.

" _Wait…_ " Kaito managed to cut his call before anything else had been asked. He really did not feel like being interrogated at the moment.

Slamming the glass door behind him, Kaito started on a quick jog towards the front entrance. It was the least he could to at the moment, to make sure the Eastern Detective boarded the ambulance, without compromising his identity.

He arrived slightly before the ambulance. Kaito managed to sneak through the guarded entrance and hide in a nearby corner for the accompanying nurse to appear. The moment he saw the nurse mumbling something about needing to grab the kit, he managed to silently drag the nurse aside and divest him of his uniform. A quick change and a simple cosmetic makeover later, he rushed over towards the lift where it was in the process of loading the gurney.

"You're slow Masahiro." The doctor commented, jabbing at the button for the top floor. There, they had to take the stairs up to the roof.

"Sorry, sorry. I had a hard time finding the kit." Kaito lifted the box in his hand. "It was tucked underneath the bench."

"Who was the last shift?" Kaito shrugged, not wanting to make up anything that could come back to bite him. He let the doctor grumble about absentminded nurses in the background.

When they reached the rooftop, Hakuba was already next to the downed detective. Hands on top of the shoulder wound, applying pressure. He could see the leg wound was haphazardly bandaged, blood still seeping out of the dark material. Though Kaito had to wonder how much was because of the bleeding and how much was because of the puddle on the floor.

'So much blood…' Kaito quickly set to work as the doctor questioned Hakuba on what happened. The blond detective relayed the phone conversation as he worked on trying to load the unconscious detective onto the gurney. It would be a difficult trek down towards the ambulance but with the Eastern Detective unresponsive, there was little else they could do.

"Only yourself?" Kaito heard the doctor ask as he secured the last of the restraints. Giving a sharp tug, Kaito made sure the Eastern Detective would not be slipping as they descended the stairs.

"KID managed to call me on my mobile. I came up here to assess the situation once I was able to. I called up Nakamori-keibu from the KID Task Force and told him of the situation. He should be searching nearby buildings as we speak." Hakuba accompanied them down the stairs. He looked meaningfully at Kaito, and for a moment he thought the blond detective saw through his disguise. Fortunately, Hakuba only said "KID had entrusted the health of Kudo-kun to me, I am coming with you even though I may not be family or next of kin."

"Doctor?" Kaito was not sure if he had the authority to say anything in such cases.

"Of course. We all know how protective KID could be. I wouldn't want him to have reason to cause mayhem." Even as the doctor complained, there was amusement in his eyes. Though Kaito had to wonder why would the doctor believe KID would do such a thing. Something must have shown on his face as the doctor shook his head and narrated his tale. "I wasn't transferred to Beika General then, but the kin of one of the patients at the time was quite distressed. I was patrolling the halls when I overheard her shouting at the doctor on duty. Her creative choice of words and her conviction somehow suggested she would be more than happy to enact her words should she find harm to her injured son. If my memory serves me, she was going to ensure all the doctor's uniform would mysteriously turn into leotards..."

Kaito sweat dropped. "Hard to believe…" He knew mothers are protective but to have threatened such humiliation on the staff was unheard of. Normally, it would just involve a lot of screaming and cursing.

"I don't doubt KID is somewhat on par with that woman." The lift arrive in time, empty and ready to be loaded with their patient. Kaito continued to glance over at the Eastern Detective to check for signs of life. The shallow, and somewhat ragged, breathing was the only indication for now.

'Don't die.' Kaito prayed as they boarded the ambulance. He was quick to follow the doctor's orders and began hooking up various monitors as the doctor made a more thorough assessment of the injuries. Hands flurried within the small confinement as bandages, syringes, and medicine passed back and forth. Kaito managed to keep a hand grasping onto the detective's, noting the callouses belonging to one who loved to read and was an ardent violin player. He brushed across the hardened skin and frowned, it felt familiar.

"Is something wrong?" Hakuba asked, looking up from his phone. The inspector must have messaged him about something important to earn that frown.

"Nothing, just that these injuries are quite severe and that he must be really lucky to have survived. If the ambulance arrived any later, he might not have made it."

Kaito was spared from further questioning as the ambulance slowed at the entrance of Beika General. He helped unload the gurney, rushing to push the wheeled bed towards the operating room. Thankfully, the grade of his disguise was low enough to not be required to accompany the doctor into the OR.

"Would you happen to be able to fill out the forms?" Kaito remembered the standard procedure. But even if the blond detective did not know any of the information, Kaito was more than happy to fill it out on his behalf.

"Unfortunately no. But his parents are coming as we speak. If you could ready all the required documents, we can speed up the process."

"Alright. If you'll follow me." Kaito then left Hakuba by the reception desk after notifying the on duty nurse. He then ducked out of the area and headed for a disused storeroom to change out of his disguise and into incognito blacks. He stayed in the area, listening to the bug he placed by the reception desk. The Kudo parents had arrived not much later, with Yukiko asking worriedly about the detective's situation.

" _I'm afraid I don't know yet. He was just wheeled into the OR._ " Hakuba informed. There was a soft sob and Kaito figured it must have been Yukiko.

" _Yu-chan…_ "

" _Shinichi's strong. He'll live._ " The conviction behind Yuusaku's words were echoed in Kaito. Even with the amount of blood spilt, Kaito still believed the detective could survive.

As he sat in the dark room, straining to hear news of the operation, Kaito drew out the night's target in lieu of having some form of distraction. He was fortunate there was a small window and he held the gem up towards the sky. The clouds were just beginning to clear and the moon finally showed its face to Kaito. Making sure the gem could receive a decent amount of moonlight, Kaito peered into the transparent gem.

"Please. Please let this be Pandora." He prayed. He did not want this heist to have no meaning, for a detective (his detective) to become injured for an ordinary piece of rock. Anything else other than Pandora felt as though it would cheapen Kudo Shinichi's sacrifice. And that somehow pained Kaito.

His prayers were answered with a soft red glow from inside the gem. The small speck of red began to grow and filled the whole of the internal area. The room was quickly filled up with a bright red colour and Kaito had to squint before tucking the gem back into his pockets.

Kaito felt elated and relieved, knowing that everything that happened was not for naught. A small smile tugged on the edges of his lips before growing into a wide mouth grin. He now had to figure out how to procure himself a nice replica to replace this gem when he return it. No use in alerting Snake and his gang too early on his discovery, despite the fact that they had already gone on the offensive during the heist.

A soft rustling through the earpiece notified Kaito to pay attention. He figured the doctor must have approached Hakuba close enough for Kaito's bug to pick up the sound.

" _Are you his parents?_ "

" _Yes. How is our son?_ " Yuusaku spoke with concern laced in his voice. Perhaps for a moment he thought the doctor was the bearer of grim news.

" _The surgery was a complete success. We've sutured the gunshot wounds. There was a slight complication when we removed the bullet, the one lodged in his thighs was extremely close to a vein. Both bullets were removed but there was slight fracturing of the bones where the bullet made impact. He is currently being moved to a private room as we speak. We understand that he is somewhat of a celebrity and have made the necessary safety precautions._ "

" _Thank you doctor._ " Yuusaku's voice sounded relieved

" _Can we see him?_ " Yukiko urgently asked.

" _We'll allow the pair of you. But Hakuba-kun…_ "

" _I should probably head to the station and give my statement. You have notified the police correct?_ "

" _Yes. They're sending several officers over to collect the evidence and set up the security._ " The Doctor confirmed. " _Though they insisted that Kudo-kun be transferred to the holding wing, something about having higher security measures there…_ "

Kaito held back a curse, he remembered there was an area set aside in Beika General for holding injured criminals. None of the other hospitals have such a feature but with the crime rate in Beika, and the method of their capture by resident (teen and child) detectives, no wonder the hospital took such precautions.

" _That would probably be Division One. Megure must have heard._ " Yuusaku's voice faded off into the distance, signifying they were moving towards the Eastern Detective's room. Kaito stayed in the storeroom for slightly longer before sneaking out, taking care to check whether there were police patrol. He would not doubt the Tokyo PD had assigned their officers to come patrol these corridors just to protect their teen consultant.

'Great, just what I need.' As though Kaito just managed to curse himself, an officer ambled passed his hidden location, eyes roaming across the shadows. 'Maybe the locker room first? A change of clothing is in order.'

Kaito took a moment to remember to hospital's layout before heading into the opposite direction. He opened a random unlocked locker and found a set of female nurse uniform. 'Better than nothing.' Kaito had no qualms about dressing in drag. He even took the time to make sure his face looked feminine enough. As an afterthought, he threw on a pair of slim rimmed glasses that slightly covered his eyes. The small tint on the glasses, probably from the treatment that the glass underwent for prevention of blue light or something similar, gave an extra form of protection towards concealing his identity. Looking at the mirror, Kaito thought that, for a second, his Lady was staring back at him. 'Probably because of the glasses.' He thought to himself as he straightened out the collar.

His first stop would be at the reception desk. He grabbed a random nurse's name tag and access card before using it to access the computers. Scrolling down the screen, he looked for the name "Kudo Shinichi" and made note of the room number. 'Third floor, West Wing. Secure Room.' Kaito had to hide himself at the corner when he saw the two stern guards posted on at either side of the door. Neither looked the type to be nodding off any time soon and Kaito had forgotten to pack extra his sleeping pallets on his person for the heist (he does, in fact, have a lot of smoke pallets and stun grenades but neither are helpful in this situation unless he wanted to cause panic). He waited for an opportune moment, knowing that one would present themselves tonight. As luck would have it, a nurse exited from the room he was keeping watch. There was an exchange of nods and a soft whisper before the nurse walked towards Kaito and the staircase. Thanking Lady Luck, he quickly subdued the nurse with a helpful piece of chloroform from a nearby cupboard and dragged the nurse to the nearest rest station for on-duty staffs. He then walked casually back to the detective's room.

"Wait, where's Mami-san?" One of the guards stopped Kaito before he could enter.

"Mami-chan suddenly felt sick to the stomach, must be the dinner she had." Kaito made sure to keep his voice soft. "She paged me urgently to take over her shift here, something about critical condition…"

"She was fine when she left." The other guard had his hand on his service pistol and looked at Kaito with suspicion.

"Well, I did call to confirm with her and her voice sounded all echo-y. She was probably in the washroom by then. I could go and check for you if you want but my conscience would not allow me to do so without at least making sure the patient was not in critical condition." Kaito tries to appeal to the guard's needs to protect the unconscious detective. Both shared a look of concern.

"We at least need to ask you to show us your pockets. Although we would have much preferred for someone to search through you but it would not be possible for the pair of us." The left guard motioned towards his pockets, to which Kaito obediently turned them out. Kaito wondered if perhaps such measures were extreme.

The guard on the right unlocked the door and motioned Kaito in. "It's not extreme if the person we're protecting has a lot of enemies."

Kaito smiled nervously, not intending to have said anything out loud.

"I guess you're fine to keep watch. Just shout if anything happens." The guard promptly locked the doors once more, leaving Kaito inside the room with the sleeping detective.

The continuous beeping sounds were the only indications to Kaito that the detective on the starch bed was actually alive. On a whim, he walked over to take a look at the charts at the end of the bed. It was written in a rather script-like writing and it took a bit of time for Kaito to decipher the handwriting. Even when he had, what was written was somewhat of a mystery as he had very limited medical knowledge. Some he understood, such as the location of the wounds and the dosage of medications. Others were like scribbles to him, and he guessed they were probably test results.

Kaito walked over by the window, where a plastic chair had been set up next to the heart monitor and the saline drip. The monitor had a steady beep, even if there were very little outward signs of breathing from the detective. The low rise and fall of the detective's chest was barely detectable. Taking the seat, Kaito prepared himself for a night of vigil, just to be certain that the detective would live. He had heard that the first night after surgery was most critical and he did not want anything to happen to this critic.

"Too many people would be saddened if anything were to happen to you Meitantei." Kaito stared at the still form. He then noticed a small sheen forming on the forehead as the detective scrunched up his face as though in pain. Kaito gave a quick glance towards the drip, seeing there was enough medication to last through the night. Just in case, he looked about the room to check whether there were other external influences to the change in the detective's condition. He noticed the previous nurse had left a small syringe next to the heart monitor, well concealed in the shadows, alongside a small bottle of liquid. Kaito read the label in the limited light, showing it to be pain medication. Made note of it before walking back to grab the charts to check when the last dose had been administered.

Halfway through the page, he heard small whispers of sound. Immediately alert, Kaito scanned the room, paying particular attention to the window and the doorway. Nothing was out of place.

"...-ry…-dn't mean..." Kaito looked at the detective, this time paying more attention to the sounds. "...-ccident…-ot meant to last…"

He had to wonder who the detective wanted to apologise to. By the sounds of it, the detective seemed to be regretting something he did, caused by an accident. It was something that had a long term effect on a particular someone. His mind was then thrown back to the report Jii gave him.

" _Kaito-bocchama, it seems that young Kudo had been involved in a series of violent crimes, and was the key in taking down a criminal organisation. His activities were all kept secret, it took quite a lot of resource, but from what I've gathered, young Kudo was forced into hiding for the past year or so. No one knows where he went, he never called anyone with the exception of his childhood friend Mouri Ran, and no one knows when he would return._ "

"Could it be, you were trying to apologise to Irie-chan?" Kaito softly asked, knowing he would not receive a reply. For a moment, he felt pity for the detective. "You should have just called and told her that instead of keeping silent."

"...didn't mean to hide…" Even unconscious, the detective seems to be replying to the conversation. "...forced to comply…"

"And who would make you do something like that I wonder." Kaito placed the chart back into its holder with an amused smile on his face. Making conversation like this was the only method between himself and the detective. The two times when the detective had been conscious during their talk had resulted in Kaito wanting to punch the daylight out of the detective. 'You don't deserve a place in her heart.'

"...-ver meant to be…"

"Are you trying to break up with her? Even when it looks like she seems devoted to you?" Kaito loomed over the detective, with the intention to intimidate, "she bought you gifts! Painstakingly chosen gifts for you, a rather intimate gesture I would say! Who would buy cologne as a present unless the recipient was someone close?"

"...s'rry…'d love to meet you in person…" The detective was tossing and turning by this point, breaths coming heavier and more rapid. The knuckles of the hands clutching at the sheets was turning white because of the force. "No! Run!" The harshness of the whispered voice thrown Kaito back to the memories of the night, when the detective yelled for him to run away.

"It's because you're putting aside your own safety that you ended up in this situation." Kaito eased back into the seat. "If you didn't want her to worry, you should have taken better care of yourself."

"Run!...Kait-" A soft whimper broke away from the detective's throat and tears began to trail down the cheeks. Kaito detected something very wrong and placed a hand on the forehead. It was burning up rapidly. The beeping had increased dramatically, louder and more shrill than when Kaito first came in. He quickly mashed the call button by the headboard, hoping the on-duty doctor would soon arrive. Though, he had make it as though Kaitou KID came in to check on the detective before leaving without any evidence. He looked around the room, noting the extremely small opening that served as the window and the small air vent. He decided to ease the window as though someone broken in. There was very little time as the sounds of footsteps grew closer and Kaito quickly dove underneath the bed, not without leaving a Get Well card on the bed with a white rose attached.

Not a moment too soon, the doors flung open and the lights were turned on. Footsteps drew nearer to where Kaito hid even as the guards stepped around the room to look for signs of intrusion. There was a moment when Kaito heard one of the guards asked "Where is she?" over the doctor's instruction.

"I'm going to have to ask the pair of you to leave." The doctor seemingly did not have the time for the police to linger in the room. "You'll only be in the way as we try to lower his temperature and clean the wounds."

"Why?"

"Does it matter why?" Irritated, there were further sounds of rustling. "And here, this was found on top of the sheets."

"What? Kaitou KID was here? How?"

"Again, I would say why does it matter? Now please leave us to our work. We're short on hand as it is with Mami-chan suddenly missing…" The last sentence alerted the two guards as someone rushed hurriedly outside. Kaito chose the same moment to move away from his hiding spot and blend into the background, before slinking out the door and away from the room. He was quite sure now that the detective would be in good hands.

 **-TBC-**


	19. Invention of a phone is a great thing

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: This interlude happened between Ch16 and 17, also you might have noticed it's 'a' meaning there's a 'b' so...yea...

* * *

 **Interlude (2a): The invention of phone is a great thing**

Kaito had just received a message from Jii, about the contact of a certain detective. In his mind, he added the words 'annoying' and 'pretentious' not to mention 'narcissistic' and 'insensitive' to describe said detective. It was two more words than what he had coined a certain blond, British, detective but he was sure that specific detective deserved those adjectives being added to his title. He wondered briefly if this counts as a crime if he were to make calls to this particular number for the sole purpose to get his point across and hopefully put some sense into the dense detective. Honestly, to actually act so nonchalant towards the leaving of his Lady was something akin to sin in Kaito's mind, a lady so lovely and gracious should not have left the city without an escort of some sort. And by the looks of it, the irritating detective just continued on his daily routine like his Lady leaving did not matter.

He typed the long string of digit into the 'Recipient' entry field. Instead of wasting his breath on the detective, Kaito decided sending messages would be much faster, easier, and possibly make a better impression on the recalcitrant detective (that and it was likely to annoy the detective more than normal). He started penning his first in his series of text, to be sent automatically at random interval throughout the day (including after midnight, yes Kaito was feeling particularly evil and he felt it justified to act so towards this particular recipient).

" _Why do you think it would be fine to let Irie-chan leave by herself to the airport? What if she encountered a crime? Was kidnapped? Or worse? Has it ever occurred to you that with the high crime rate in Beika that Irie-chan could be the next victim? Or were you so certain and confident in your skills that you seemed to think you could prevent all the crimes in Beika? You do know that you're just an ordinary person who somehow seems to be lucky enough to be blessed with skills._ "

The first message sounded more condescending than usual, somewhat an insult to the detective's skills. But Kaito had to make a point that even with his skills, not being next to the person you wanted to protect, the person that matters the most, is akin to leaving said person to the wolves to devour. And his Lady certainly makes one lovely morsel.

" _Has it ever occurred to you that your negligence can cause more harm than good? That because you never seemed to contact her, or even pick up her calls, that she's lonely?_ "

This particular one was in reference to the time the detective failed to pick up the call. If Kaito has guessed correctly, he was quite certain his Lady would make contact with the detective not long after her landing. He was also quite certain the detective would have ignored all calls in favour of doing...something else. Like preparing a meal or something inane (Kaito remembered seeing the large shopping bag in the detective's hands at the front gates). He thought keeping the message short would make a stronger impact than a long ranting one (also, he hoped this particular message would wake the detective in the middle of the night since he was feeling slightly mean at the moment).

" _You really should pay more attention to those you love._ "

Although this particular message sounded much like blackmail, or a threatening letter, it would also make a statement to the detective. Though, given that all the messages would be sent from an undisclosed number of a burn phone, it would more than likely drive the detective into a panicky state. Hopefully, it would also mean the detective would pay more attention to his Lady. He remembered Jii saying how the detective treasures the Mouri girl more than his Lady and Kaito feels that the detective is betraying his Lady's kindness and gentle thoughts. Such actions should not go unpunished. Kaito had been tempted to follow his mother's sadistic streak and add texts such as 'I wonder if the beauty of her words can be translated into her screams' or 'skin adorned with red is more enticing than pale unblemished skin' but such words would definitely make him sound like a deranged or psychotic person (if he was honest with himself, even though he felt the detective deserved a scare, Kaito still did not wish to cause too much of a trauma towards the detective. And following the examples of his very own mother, the Phantom Lady, would have certainly caused trauma most extreme).

" _Do not presume she would always be there to wait on you. She is an independent, kind, caring, and loving individual and deserves someone equally kind, caring, and loving partner. All qualities that you seemed to be lacking in favour of sharpening your skills to read into people's motives. Not everyone hides an ulterior motive and you dismissing those without a motive is a sin in itself._ "

A longer text to snap the detective away from his obsession associated with all things mysterious. He had heard, from selective voice feeds from the police station, that the detective only takes interest in homicide. A trait that is not suitable, in Kaito's mind, to become a loving partner for his Lady. Even if he could not attain his Lady's affection just yet, he still wishes her happiness. And by how his Lady seems to be attached to the Kudo family, Kaito knew it could be a matter of time before she asked to be married to Kudo Shinichi, something that Kaito hopes to prevent. However, in the case where Kaito was not able to prevent, then at least Kaito could say he tried to make his Lady's life a bit better by reshaping the detective into someone worthy of her attention.

Yawning, Kaito glanced over at the clock to see the time was way passed midnight. He had school tomorrow and despite not needing as much sleep as a normal student (he had become quite accustomed to four/five hour sleep on average with the demands of his nighttime persona) he still needed to rest his eyes and mind to prepare for a heist at the Suzuki Gallery.

"Four messages should be enough to last through the night then…" Giving another yawn, he set the message function and began readying for bed.

 **-TBC-**


	20. Repaying the favour

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: [[clap clap clap]] YAY! More interactions! A word of WARNING, suggestive comments and actions are mentioned in this chapter.

* * *

 **Ch18: Repaying the favour**

Kaito was not sure what had prompted him to return to the hospital once more on the several evenings later. It was hazardous, risky, and altogether idiotic to return just to check on the detective. Kaito had acted on an urge, kept telling himself he was doing this for the sake of his Lady, who no doubt would have seen the news by now. He, like any good friend, have called to check up on his Lady but was directed to voicemail. He left a voice message, along with a text message for his Lady, to ease any possible distress. He worried that his Lady would rush down to Tokyo so he also added an extra note of promising to help her keep an eye on the detective. Not that he did not wish to see his Lady, but because he did not want his Lady to miss out on her own education for the sake of one measly, undeserving, detective.

"What am I doing…" He muttered, sequestered in the staff changing room once more as he waited for some nurse to come in. This time, he came prepared, with a full disguise kit. He also took the time to browse through the staff list via some handy computer hacking this morning.

When a female nurse entered the room, alone, Kaito threw down a sleeping pallet the moment the door closed. Locking the door, he gently helped lower the nurse onto a bench, making sure that she would be adequately covered and hidden, before studying her features and mimicking them on himself. Once he was satisfied, he put on his own version of the hospital staff uniform, remembering to attach the name tag and any other pieces of accessories of the sleeping nurse on his person, before leaving the changing room.

He made his way up the stairs instead of using the lifts, approaching the two guards at the door without raising suspicions this time.

Strangely enough, the detective seemed to have recovered quite a lot from last night's ordeal and was now sitting up despite the infection last night.

"Good evening." Kaito greeted, walking up to the end of the bed to check the clipboard before heading over to the saline drip to check the condition. He was acutely aware of the detective's eyes following his every movement.

"Good evening Kaneko-san." The detective must have read the name tag, otherwise the original owner of his face must actually be one of the nurses in charge of the room. He figured it must be the latter as the guards outside barely gave him a second glance. He gave a quick thanks to Lady Luck for landing him with this disguise as it allowed him free access without the searching and frisking (though his disguise could certainly hold up to scrutiny even with physical touching, he made sure he had all the _correct_ body parts for the disguise and any _incorrect_ body parts is well hidden even if it is a bit uncomfortable for him at the moment. At least it keeps him in character).

"How are you feeling right now?" Kaito plastered on a sweet smile. There was a tense moment and Kaito thought the detective had not heard his question. He was about to ask again when the detective quirked an eyebrow.

"Really KID? Getting sloppy with the lack of sleep now are you?" Amusement was prominent in his voice. "I would have expected more from the Master of Disguise."

"I think you have me confused. Perhaps I should call a doctor…" KID's finger poised over the call button, slightly nervous at the fact that the detective managed to figure him out within a minute of him entering the room. Though he was actually more worried that the detective might be hallucinating.

"There's no need to pretend KID." The detective's hands closed around his wrist and Kaito immediately jerked back, only for his hand to be caught once more. "Your hands give you away."

The detective released Kaito's hands before sinking back into the mountain of pillow. Knowing his disguise was compromised, KID stood a little bit away, just in case the detective decided to try something new.

"And how do they give me away Meitantei?" He used his normal voice to address the detective as he pretends to examine his hands. His eyes were often drawn back to the way the harsh hospital light managed to make the detective look younger than he actually is. "I'm only trying to make sure you're still alive, is that such a crime?"

"It's not a crime, and I do appreciate some company. Especially since visiting hours are over. As you can see, this particular room wasn't designed for someone other than criminals to stay in, so it lacks the entertainment." A hand waved to the bland, white, surroundings. Sure enough, Kaito saw the lack of a TV screen and even the lack of a vase for flowers. It only has the bed the detective was lying on, the drip stand which was secured to the floor, the standard vitals monitoring machines, again secured to fixtures and floors, along with the singular chair. "And you gave yourself away when you let me see your hands, when you reached up to adjust the medication and right now as I grab hold onto them. A beginner's mistake if you ask me."

"You want me to bring you some form of entertainment then?" Kaito can see how this could be a torture for a mind as active as the detective's. He decided to ignore the detective's jibe at his expertise. He was a gentleman after all and such petty comments does not register… 'Who am I kidding, I'll just get back at him at another time, not when he's bed bound.'

There was a moment where the detective scrutinized Kaito's expression and offer. "Are you trying to repay me for saving your life?"

"If I said yes, would you believe me?"

"Yes." The detective immediately replied without hesitation. "You're a gentleman who likes to uphold honour and morals. You'd think me saving your life was a debt. But let me tell you, I did so because I know it was right."

"And here I thought you'd call for your guards to have me arrested." Kaito joked, conjuring up a stem of yellow rose to offer it to the detective. "Here, a little bit of colour for the bland room."

"If I wanted to arrest you, it would be at your heist and nothing else." The detective nodded his thanks as he took the flower, cradling it in his hand before letting it fall to his laps. Kaito's eyes were drawn towards the hands that never stopped petting the petals of the flowers, somewhat lovingly caressing the fragile petals. "It would be rather unsportsmanship of me to track you down out of uniform, especially…"

"Especially?" Now Kaito was curious as to why the detective seemed to indicate he knew KID's civilian identity. Kaito tore his eyes away from the hands and flower as he mentally sweated.

"Nevermind." The detective waved it away as though it did not matter. "So apart from trying to repay me with your entertaining presence, was there something else you need?"

It seems the detective had been desperate for someone to talk to, though he could not blame the detective. Taking a nearby seat, he decided, out of the kindness of his heart, to at least converse somewhat civilly.

"Not really, just wanting to know a few things actually." He decided to also take the opportunity to check the condition of his younger, more energetic, critic. "I heard from the grapevine that Tantei-kun returned home." And to be honest, he was missing his little detective.

"His parents came to pick him up when I was away. I met him briefly at Honolulu airport. He seemed sad to leave but he was also excited to live with his parents again." There were hesitations in the detective's speech, making it difficult for Kaito to actually believe in the detective's words. "He managed to leave a message with me to pass to you though."

"Oh?" And here Kaito had thought this littlest detective decided to leave without say goodbye. Though Kaito had not made it possible for Tantei-kun to actually contact him through the normal channels. Perhaps he should start having his doves keep tabs on his detectives, just in case they wanted to urgently find him. He could never be too cautious when dealing with Snake and his gang, there's always the possibility Snake would harm his detectives to lure KID out using detectives as bait. Kaito repressed a shudder before smiling sweetly back at the Eastern Detective.

There was a moment when the detective looked at him strangely before shaking his head, most likely said detective had been trying to decipher the meaning behind the smile.

"Well, the kid said don't get caught so easily."

"That's assuming if I'll ever _be_ caught." Seeing as KID will be retiring soon, probably in a couple of months now that Pandora was in his hands, Kaito would not be making any mistakes in his heist.

"Though, that reminds me, last night's target. Do you want me to return it for you? I'm guessing it wasn't what you were looking for…?" The detective held out a hand, expecting to be a deliverer but Kaito shook his head.

"I didn't bring it with me today." Kaito lied. The gem was actually kept on his person as he was reluctant to leave it locked up somewhere. "All I intended to do was a quick visit just to make sure you were alive. Besides, you're still recovering, wouldn't want you to exert yourself too much." Kaito flashed a grin before rising up for a stretch.

"I'll be out by the time of your next heist. If I have my way, I'll be out within the week." He grumbled, settling back into the mound of pillow.

"And if I had my way, you'll be tied to the hospital bed, you reckless detective, along with a nice change of hair colour as well!" The last part was hastily added on to keep up with the pranking and joking. Though to be honest, Kaito was not too averse to tying up this detective. 'He shouldn't have dived in front of a bullet in the first place.'

Kaito noted the hint of colour on the detective's face, quite certain that it was because of the teasing and possible innuendo. Wanting to see how far he could push things, especially to embarrass the detective, he sat on the bed, leaning towards one side so the skirt of the nurse uniform rose up slightly on his thigh. He batted his eyelashes in a manner that had the detective swallowing visibly.

"Really, such a horrible, horrible patient you're being." Kaito dropped back to the feminine voice, half a pitch higher than his own. "Your injuries wouldn't allow you to leave the hospital. Let Kaneko heal you up nicely." Kaito leaned in, hands poised over the fringes of the detective. He had a maniac grin plastered on his face that caused the detective to attempt to sink himself further into the pillow.

"K-KI-D." The detective was valiantly trying to shy away from his actions, which only prompted Kaito to do something else. He leaned in closer, to a point where he was sure the detective would have a good view of the chest area. Kaito had made sure his breasts would look extremely real (feels extremely real too, Kaito had tried to grab himself and found the touch comfortable and quite pleasing as well). Kaito somehow managed to lean so that he could lean his chest onto the detective's abdomen, his slight shifts generated even more shivers in the detective.

"My, you're shivering quite badly. Could it be you're cold?" He retracted his hand from near the detective's face and began tugging at the thin blanket covering the body, tucking it securely above the shoulders. "Would you like me to warm you up?" Kaito made sure to pat at the biceps, and giving them a nice squeeze (he noticed how firm they were even though it looks to be too wiry to contain any muscle mass) before letting his hand trail down the arm and rest on the detective's hips. He leaned in further, quite sure that his breasts would be touching upon a rather sensitive and delicate body part of the detective's who immediately blushed and tries to squirm away. "You shouldn't move around so much you know. You might open a stitch." Kaito's hands made quick work to secure the detective with the blanket, ensuring the detective could not even move an inch even as he pressed closer and moved himself up so their faces could line up and close enough to actually feel each breath.

Kaito had to hold back his laughter when the detective squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his jaws. The adam's apple bobbing prominently as the detective took a rather large swallow. He stayed in his position for a while longer, hovering just a hair's breadth away from the detective's face before suddenly moving away.

"Well," he let his voice drop back to his KID timbre, "that's certainly enlightening. Though are you sure you should be betraying your beloved this way?" He was equal parts amused and annoyed at the detective. Amused because of the reactions, annoyed because the detective responded so easily to another female close by (even if said female was just a disguise, a very convincing disguise at that but still a fake person). Yet it was an annoyance he could not show at this moment in time. 'Yes, this is definitely worth retribution of some sort. How _dare_ he squander my Lady's adoration by betraying it.'

"Be...loved?" The detective looked confused, possibly because he did not expect KID to know about his private affairs.

"I keep track of all my detectives, and you, Meitantei, not only are you betraying your beloved, but also inadvertently hurting my best and most loyal fan." By which he meant the detective's betrayal against his Lady and causing stress to himself, Kuroba Kaito. He swore, at this very moment, to snatch his Lady from under Kudo Shinichi. If the detective could not cherish his Lady, then he, Kuroba Kaito, would do so. After all, with Pandora secured, there was nothing stopping him anymore.

"Sonoko?"

Kaito sighed, not believing this particular detective could be so dense in matters concerning emotions. "Not Suzuki-jou, although she is a loyal fan and apparently the current chairman of the KID fanclub." He shook his head, having divulged more than he should anyway. "Nevermind. I guess all detectives are just slow and inherently dense towards topics outside of murders and mystery."

Turning his back to the detective, he made sure to prominently show off his figure, exaggerating the movement of his hips to accentuate each step. Before opening the door, he turned around and gave the detective a wink and blew a kiss.

"I'll see you later Meitantei." Remembering to flash the KID patented grin before disappearing out the entrance.

On the bed, Shinichi could hardly breath (actually, he could hardly move at all given how tight the magician had managed to wrangle the blanket around him). He could not believe the nerve of the magician, to blatantly show off his skills in disguise.

"Stupid magician and their supernatural skills in creating life-like, realistic, alter-ego, gender-defying disguises." He mumbled, all the while trying to bury himself into the pillow and willing away the heat on his cheeks.

Shinichi faintly remember hearing something last night, and early this morning, about KID having dropped by before. He had been told he had an infection, and a fever, sometime last night, and that a white cardstock with a stem of flower attached was found on his bed. Though the police had took the cardstock and flower away stating it was possible evidence. Shinichi would have argued if he was not too drugged up at the time. Now though, now he had an urge to shout for the guards by his door just to have someone stop the outrageous magician.

'Not for arrest, but to…' Shinichi pondered what he wanted to do with the thief. Heaving a sigh, he struggles some more before giving up altogether. 'At least he doesn't seem to be mad at me anymore.'

Shinichi reflected back to their conversation, at how easy banter between them. For a moment, he could make himself believe they were old friends, and possibly something more if he would allow them to be. Shinichi realised his body's reaction, how his hands longed to touch the supple skin of the magician's.

'Get a grip.' Shinichi shook his head, awkwardly, as he tries to calm down his physiological reactions. 'Now is not the time to think about something like that!' He reprimanded himself. He knew the magician have strong feelings towards Shiina but Shinichi cannot bring himself to tell the magician about it this moment. He knew the magician would feel betrayed.

"What should I do…" He muttered into the air before letting out a wry smile, which turned to be a short burst of chuckle. "I brought this upon myself…"

There really is no one else to blame for the current predicament. Sure, Shinichi could always say that it was because his mother had forced him to wear the disguise in the first place but the development of _feelings_ was all because of him. Whether it was the feelings from the magician or, more recently, towards the magician, they were both a product from Shinichi's action. This, he felt, was his fault.

"Can I actually... _tell him_ …" Though maybe the more correct term would be whether Shinichi was brave enough to tell the magician of the truth. He could not help but feel his current physical state, where he was bound by the magician, is a direct representation of his mental state. "I hate my life…"

 **-TBC-**


	21. Invention of the phone is demon's prank

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: It's a bit short. Also a note, it's more like a reflection/reaction of messages Shin-chan received from Kai-chan. Again somewhere from Ch16 to Ch17.

* * *

 **Interlude (2b): The invention of the phone is a prank of demons**

Shinichi had hoped the aroma of the coffee could bring him calm but it only caused his mind to become more active. His brief encounter with the magician in front of his home only brought about a pang in his heart. He had quickly fired off a message, under the pretense of Irie Shiina, in the hopes of stopping the magician's pursuit. But then, the particular message of " _I would have liked to wish you 'Farewell' and 'Safe trip' but I guess I will have to settle for a 'I'll come visit you during the holidays' instead._ " had Shinichi falter in his reply. Not that he did not want to see the magician again, but he did not want to do so under disguise. He had hoped very hard, wished and prayed, that the magician could accept him as Kudo Shinichi and not as anything else. But it seems his wishes, hopes, and prayers will be forever unanswered.

Sighing into his cup, he stared at the brown liquid. All sense of time was lost on him as Shinichi's mind spiraled into darkness much like the coffee before him. Only when his phone suddenly vibrated that he finally snapped away from his mind's darkness. Looking at the screen only revealed the words 'Unknown Number'. With curiosity burning through his veins, Shinichi opened the message.

-Why do you think it would be fine to let Irie-chan leave by herself to the airport? What if she encountered a crime? Was kidnapped? Or worse? Has it ever occurred to you that with the high crime rate in Beika that Irie-chan could be the next victim? Or were you so certain and confident in your skills that you seemed to think you could prevent all the crimes in Beika? You do know that you're just an ordinary person who somehow seems to be lucky enough to be blessed with skills.-

It was clear who it is from, as only a selected few were ever in contact with Irie Shiina and the particular tone of speech was one Shinichi had heard before through the phone. He knew he had upsetted the magician somehow, but he never realised how much damage he had caused. Saddened, Shinichi set the phone aside before drowning in the long-cold cup of coffee. Others may choose to drown themselves in alcohol during times of sorrow and pain, but Shinichi, being underaged, did not have such a privilege. Instead, he chose coffee and the comfort of the library to help his escape of reality.

The next message came as he was readying for school. Shinichi had opened the message without looking at the notification at first and instantly regretted. Had he actually paid more attention, he would have been alerted to the fact that this message was also sent from the same 'Unknown Number' as last night and he could hav mentally prepared himself for the harsh words.

-Has it ever occurred to you that your negligence can cause more harm than good? That because you never seemed to contact her, or even pick up her calls, that she's lonely?-

He had a fitful sleep the night before, dreams of accusatory eyes and disdain, so he was not in the most perfect of mood. The text only brought his mood lower as the accusation rang in his heart and mind. It was as though he could hear the condescending tone of the magician ringing inside the room. His mood carried through for the whole day, even Ran had commented on how he seemed down. But Shinichi only shrugged off Ran's concern, feeling he was inadequate to receive her thoughtful words.

The third message came just as Shinichi stepped through the threshold of the mansion.

-You really should pay more attention to those you love.-

It had sent him in a panic as fear raced across him. Someone was threatening him and he could not even be sure where to start looking. Over the years, Shinichi had made too many enemies to count, most of which were put behind bars but he was sure some disgruntled relative or spouse would like to have their revenge on him. His fear led him to call up, and visit, as many of the people he called friends (or even casual acquaintances) even if the list was very few. His first call was Haibara next door, just in case it was a message from the remnants of The Organisation. Finding her with the Detective Boys gleefully arguing about a stage of the Professor's game had Shinichi breathing slightly easier. He stayed for a short while, just to please the three children who had been missing Conan for the past month, and to appease his own guilty conscience. His next physical call was to the Mouri Agency, where he found Ran to be in the process of preparing dinner. Ran had forcefully made Shinichi stay for dinner at that point, which Shinichi was hard pressed to resist. Although the her father had glared at him for the whole duration of dinner, Shinichi still detected a small sign of concern underneath the intense gaze. His hasty retreat at the end of dinner was in part due to said concern and in part to his need of wanting to quickly return home to call up his parents. When both his parents have confirmed their safety with him, Shinichi was able to breath a sigh of relief. He sank into the large armchair inside the library as he thought about the origination of the text message.

The frantic search and the continual tension on his mind had made caused Shinichi to fall asleep in the library, only to be woken up sometime passed midnight by a fourth message from 'Unknown Number'. This time was less threatening and more clear on who the sender was.

-Do not presume she would always be there to wait on you. She is an independent, kind, caring, and loving individual and deserves someone equally kind, caring, and loving partner. All qualities that you seemed to be lacking in favour of sharpening your skills to read into people's motives. Not everyone hides an ulterior motive and you dismissing those without a motive is a sin in itself.-

Shinichi wondered if the third message was also from the magician, and knowing of the magician's intense dislike for him, Shinichi would not put it past the magician to cause such fear in Shinichi. He knew who the magician mother is and knew that the Phantom Lady must have taught her son some of the _skills_.

"At least, that's one mystery solved." Sinking further into the armchair, Shinichi felt his limbs to be suddenly lacking in energy. He would not blame the magician for his actions. Shinichi had been expecting retribution and if texts and frantic searches were the price to pay to be in constant contact with the magician, Shinichi would willingly pay the price. "Just because it's painful to be hated by the person you deemed to be dear, but to be without contact with the person, is more painful." He whispered to the silence of the library, holding the phone tightly in his hands as his eyes drooped and closed for his fitful night of sleep.

 **-TBC-**


	22. Coming of reality

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: The thing about writing the Interludes after I've finished writing the actual story is that a lot of plot holes crop up out of the woodwork. Do leave a message in the review if you see such a plot hole so that I can fill it up.

* * *

 **Ch19: Coming of reality**

The knock on the door disrupted Shinichi's internal musings as he called out a "Come in" from his position on the bed. It had been two weeks since his injuries, two long weeks of confined to the secure room in Beika General Hospital. Two weeks of boredom.

"Good morning Shinichi-kun." The nurse greeted with a smile. After careful observations, along with several quick deductions, Shinichi concluded this was definitely his nurse and not the magician thief in disguise.

"Good morning Kaneko-san." Still, Shinichi paid close attention to the nurse's movement, eyes tracing her path from the door to the brief stop by the end of the bed to move the table in place before collecting the clipboard. She placed a small tray on the table with a small plastic cup and a bottle of water. He kept his eyes glued to the miniscule movement of the arm, hip, and head, the way they were position. He noticed the hands of the nurse and smiled. "I take it everything's going well again now?"

"Yes, finally. After what seems like an eternity." She turned away from her work and shook her head. "Really, I can't believe my husband sometimes. Always complaining about this, that or the other but not even noticing that small change. I mean you noticed it didn't you Shinichi-kun?"

Shinichi replied with a wry smile and let the nurse rant. He noticed the state of her hands two weeks ago just before that onslaught of infection and fever, and more importantly before KID actually visited him in disguise. Unlike many other professions where staff are permitted to wear wedding bands, nurses normally refrain from wearing theirs during their shift. Though there were still other signs that suggested their married status, bits of conversation, a callous on the hand, or even how the person always held themselves to be alert for certain things, those small signs all add up in Shinichi's mind to help make a deduction on how the person has lived their lives until the point of meeting. During his brief conversations with this particular nurse, he found out that she was quite the klutz in the kitchens but she would still make an effort to appease her husband by cooking a nice dinner. Unfortunately, the sentiment was not returned and said husband had been complaining quite a lot about her spending too much time in the kitchens.

"I know you're a detective but still...he's my _husband_." She continued. Shinichi was actually enjoying such a rant, for once, as it was something to alleviate the boredom. "I live with him, share a bed with him, does his laundry and the only thing he paid attention to was how I handle the knife or whether the bowl was too near the edge."

"But at least he noticed." The number of cuts on her hand had dramatically decrease at the same time as the increase of bags underneath her eyes. Being the kindhearted detective he was, Shinichi inquired about her health the third day he saw the signs, just a mere few hours before KID visited him on that _fateful_ day.

"Yes, after what seemed like an eternity…" She sighed, taking down several notes on the clipboard before replacing it back in its holder at the end of the bed. "What is it that you said before? Something about only seeing but never observing? I guess all men are like that aren't they?" She sized him up and Shinichi had a feeling he did not like where the conversation is going. "You're young, Shinichi-kun."

"...And…?" He gulped, scooting as far away as possible from the nurse by the end of the bed.

"You're a good kid, but you barely have anyone visiting."

Shinichi was going to tell her that Ran visits often, as well as his parents for the past two weeks. That should be enough but the mischievous glint in the nurse's eyes stopped all the words in his throat.

"Maybe I should call up that volunteer, so you'll have someone to talk to. He's a nice boy, always entertaining the children down at the ward. Apparently, he's a practicing magician and he wanted to try out with a younger audience first before going professional." She glanced at the pile of books to the side of the bed, merely an arm's length away from the edge. No one had any idea how it arrived there. "Books can't be that good company."

"It's fine really. I like reading, it's much better than the first few days at least." Shinichi shrugged. The books provided a great distraction from his thoughts about a certain man in white. He tries to shake off the thought again but now that it is lodged, it was hard to be rid of. Briefly, he wondered what the magician was up to. It was almost time after all.

On cue, the phone by his bedside vibrated. The hospital had been kind enough to allow him his phone. At least he could call people up or remotely solve cases, not that the inspector of Division One had sent many to his phone. Though on the down side, the phone could only be charged at the reception desk seeing as all the electric sockets were in use by various monitors.

"Shouldn't you answer that?" Her eyes landed on the small bedside table, where Shinichi had placed a small plastic cup filled with several white pills. The nurse frowned, most likely recognising the pill and its purpose. But Shinichi decided to cut the nurse off before she could berate him. He had recognised what those pills would do (having Haibara as a close friend was sometimes useful). He knew, on sight, that they were pain medication, and as soon as the pain became bearable, Shinichi stopped taking them.

"It's fine." Shinichi said without giving the nurse a chance to launch the conversation into another topic. Everyday, without fail, the magician would call three times. In the morning, probably during the break between lessons, in the afternoon during lunch hour, and at night, sometime after dinner. But every time it vibrated, Shinichi was hesitant to pick up, knowing that the magician called because he wanted to reach Irie Shiina. Shinichi gave his own number out in the guise of it being Irie Shiina's. However, when both himself and his made-up character share the same phone, it becomes slightly difficult to figure out the tone of voice he should reply messages in, another reason why Shinichi was so reluctant to pick up the phone whenever the magician tries to contact him. Shinichi had suspected that the magician not only call this phone for Irie Shiina, but also for Kudo Shinichi, a perk (or drawback) on being able to put two sim cards for two phone numbers on the same phone. And under his current condition, he really did not feel like receiving a downer text message.

After about fifteen seconds of vibration, the phone stopped moving and laid silent. Both pairs of eyes watched as it made another brief vibration, signalling an incoming message, before laying still. From this, it was clear that this particular call was from the magician for Irie Shiina to check up on her health rather than a call to Kudo Shinichi to rant.

"Your friend is quite persistent." She commented, "every time I come to do my rounds, your phone would ring."

"Probably because it's break time." Shinichi offered with a shrug.

A knock came by the doorway and another nurse stepped into the room. "Here's this morning's delivery." The large knowing smile on the two nurses' face made Shinichi feel extremely uncomfortable. It looked as though they were a pair of unhinged psychotic nurses instead of the caring, kind, and somewhat sisterly nurse that had been caring for him for the past two weeks.

"So? Who's this lucky lady?" Kaneko fiddled around with the vase that was specifically bought into the room for the purpose of displaying the flowers. Over the course of these two weeks (though if Shinichi thought about it a bit deeper, it was from the day what KID visited him disguised as Kaneko) flowers came to the hospital addressed to Shinichi. He knew he should be alarmed, that there was a possible stalker out there. The stems of flowers often came with a white envelope containing a copy of recent news with a focus on murders and crimes, sometimes even including supplementary information such as witness statements and sketches of the crime scene, or more often than not a small note with the generic phrase found on get well cards. He would have notified the police but Shinichi had a feeling that it was KID behind all these, along with the sudden appearance of books by his bedside every other morning.

Shinichi shrugged at the question and Kaneko only took it as meaning Shinichi wanting it to remain a secret. Eyeing the flowers in the vase, several were already beginning to wilt. Gingerly, Shinichi reached up to pluck the wilting flower from the vase, wincing when his arms stretched too far, before leaning to the opposite end to grab one of the books. Kaneko shook her head as she smiled, helping the detective so he would not be pulling harshly on his injuries.

"You should learn to ask for help Shinichi-kun." She handed the book to him before taking the small box of tissue from the stand and place it in better reach.

With a sheepish smile, Shinichi opened to a seemingly random page at the center of the book, before lining the two sides with large amounts of tissue paper. It was not the best material to press flowers to but he currently lacked the resource (though he could have probably asked Ran or even the nurses to buy him the correct resource but when the first flowers were pressed, it was more on the spur of the moment than planned action).

"She must be really important to you for you to want to preserve her gifts." She warm tone Kaneko offered before leaving Shinichi to his work caused his hands to stop mid action. He was not sure why he felt the need to preserve all the flowers KID took the time to send over. Only that, he knew he would miss seeing the bright colours. Casting another look at the vase, now holding only seven stems as the rest had been pressed into the book, he wondered if it was normal.

"He took the time to select these flowers, so I should at least make an effort to appreciate them." After securing the current flower, a stem of Freesia, he flipped back to the front of the book. The first flower pressed was a yellow rose, the meaning was not lost on Shinichi for he was extremely elated to have received it from KID. He had thought it would be impossible to strike a friendship with the magician thief.

He ran a finger just on the perimeter of the yellow-ish petals, colour barely preserved with his haphazard method. "And all it took was to save his life at the cost of my own…" Shinichi was not sure whether it was a good thing or a bad thing that KID felt he should extend his friendship because he felt indebted. Flipping a stack of pages landed him on a pressed Reeves Spirea. This particular flower was particularly difficult to preserve as the bunch of white flowers on a stem formed a sphere and pressing it with the book caused the flower to lose much of its shape. Even though it looked strange, the flowers made a rather aesthetically pleasing, although quite abstract, picture. He managed to look up the meaning for this flower, not for once suspecting KID to be only sending flowers because they looked nice. It was still following the same trend of the rose, and offer of friendship. A few more pages landed on Lilac. It would have been a hassle but Shinichi only picked a single flower out of the bunch to be preserved, leaving quite a bit of room for another flower to be housed on the same page which happened to be Geranium. The one after that, but before his recently pressed Freesia was a yellow Gerbera. A rather large flower that occupied the whole page and missing several petals because of rough handling. It had been a bad day for Shinichi when he was pressing the flower as he accidentally tore his stitching when reaching for his book. There was a small stain of pink on the tissue that reminded Shinichi of his actions. It set his healing back a week, which was the reason why he was still recovering in the hospital instead of at home.

Closing the book, he placed it back on the top of the stack he accumulated on the side of the bed. His eyes then rest on the vase, which held flowers with meanings that did not seem to match. First was the Convolvulus, then the Morning Glory, next came the Mimosa, then Alstroemeria, and finally today's sprig of Ivy. He saw two other flowers set into another smaller vase, one that previously held the already pressed flowers. These were definitely not following the trend of meanings. They were sent before the Convolvulus, on the two days that he was bed ridden when another infection caused a rather nasty fever due to his torn stitching. A stem of yellow Carnation and a rather large cluster of Hydrangea. Rigorous research yielded that these two had negative meanings, suggesting KID's disdain for Shinichi and his apparent heartlessness. Shinichi was not sure what to make of those two particular stems of flowers, only that it sounded like a declaration of some sort.

Not wanting to dwell on it further, he pulled out a novel that he had been reading on and off in between bouts of musings over KID and the odd case files. Shinichi should have really paid more attention to his surroundings as partway through the new chapter, he was startled once again by a knock. This time, it was the officer by the doors that had peeked through the opening.

"Kudo-kun?" Takagi was the one on duty today. Division one had decided, since the last time KID broke into his room two weeks ago, to take guard duty upon themselves and had set up a schedule for their own officers. It just goes to show how protective they were about him.

"What's the matter Takagi-keiji?" Shinichi put the book aside, not bothered to mark the page.

"Um…" He hesitated, glancing between him and out the door. Shinichi waited patiently, a trait he honed to near perfection during his time as Conan. It seemed to him that Takagi was unsure about something, that or he was extremely nervous. "Do you happen to have a twin brother? Possibly an _evil_ twin brother?"

"No…" Shinichi wondered why the officer was asking something this absurd. It could be merely a case of the officer spotting something suspicious in the corridor to whatever conversation topic he was having with his partner for the watch, whom Shinichi suspected to be Satou.

"Well...there's someone out here saying he wanted to visit you but, he's not on the list. Satou-san is questioning him at the moment and she seemed to think it's KID in disguise…"

It took a moment for Shinichi to respond, eyes opening a fraction wider and a grin was threatening to show itself as Takagi continued his narration.

"Satou-san seems to be quite…enthusiastic...about this newcomer. She just pulled him aside and I thought I heard the beginning of a lecture before it turned into a rant? I'm not too sure…"

"It's fine Takagi-keiji. I know who it is." Shinichi paused, wondering whether he should reveal KID. "He's a friend so it's ok to let him in."

Takagi does not look convinced but he still leaned out to give the signal. "If you say so Kudo-kun."

Satou actually escorted KID into the room, one had on his arm in what apparently looked to be a tighter grip than usual. KID, like a professional, did not show anything on his face. Rather, he kept a quite amicable smile.

"If anything's wrong Kudo-kun. Just give us a shout ok?" Satou beamed a scary smile at the pair of boys before leaving with Takagi to take up their position by the door. Shinichi did not doubt for one second that they were eavesdropping into the conversation.

"So…" Shinichi started, keeping a wary eye on the magician. The pair of violet eyes seemed to be cataloging the various nooks and crannies, making note of possible escape routes (not that there could be any seeing it was a _secure room_ instead of the usual private rooms but he could never be too sure about the magician thief who has a way of escaping the impossible), and for some odd reason, eyeing his phone with too much concentration. Shinichi coughed to draw the magician's attention back to himself, "is there a reason for your visit?"

"Hm...I guess she's not here then…" He took a seat closest to the door, on the flimsy white plastic chair that KID once sat in.

" _She_?" Shinichi raised an eyebrow for show. He knew who the magician was referring to and it would have been quite easy to admit things right this moment. But some part of him trusted the magician to see past the disguise, to actually see Shinichi.

"Yes, _she_. Irie Shiina. She hasn't been picking up my calls so I thought she might be here with you. Hospitals don't usually allow phones…" His eyes trailed again towards the mobile laying next to Shinichi before shaking his head as though to stop himself from something. "I take it she called you at some point?"

Shinichi frowned, wondering what gave the magician that idea. And as though reading his thoughts, the magician pointed at the phone.

"Your phone's blinking. It means unread message or missed call. I'm guessing it's both in this case."

Shinichi let his own eyes land on the phone and sure enough, the small light was blinking.

"Go on, take it. I'm sure she's worried by now. You should ease her distress." The magician looked to be at a lost, sounded pain as well, and Shinichi hated that tone and look.

"It's fine, I can check later." Shinichi waved it off. Though apparently it was not the correct response.

The magician suddenly stood from his seat, hands slamming onto the bed. Shinichi was thankful that the mattress muffled the sound else the officers by the door would have been crashing into the room. "What do you mean _later_? You should do that NOW! She's...she might be…"

"I'm sure she's fine. She's forgetful like that, which is why you weren't able to reach her. And if you're that concerned, let me just say that I haven't seen her for the duration of my stay here."

"How _could_ you? You...you sound as though you don't care for her." From the way the magician tightened his fists around the blanket, Shinichi could safely conclude his was mad. "Did you know she...that…"

Shinichi frowned, not quite sure what types of conclusions the magician came up with regarding the Shiina character. He only knew that he hated seeing the way the magician scrunched up his face as though trying to contain the pain. Shinichi hated seeing how the magician would bow down his head as though to mask the world. On instinct, he leaned over, placing his own hand on top of the fist. The magician did not move and Shinichi became more worried. Slowly, he maneuvered himself so his other hand could wrap around the magician's head, ignoring the pulling of skin and the stinging pain at his movement, and he hugged the magician with his own head resting on the bed of hair.

"She's fine. I _know_ she's fine. She's just...forgetful. Always is." He patted the back of the magician. "I'm sorry…" He whispered softly, hoping the magician would not hear. The magician in his arms stiffen at his words and Shinichi wondered what was wrong this time.

"What…" He struggled out of the loose hold. His eyes widened as though recognising something. "What did you say just now?"

"I said she'll be fine." Shinichi decided to pretend he had not apologised. "Shiina, she's forgetful about her mobile all the time. She probably haven't charged it up or left it at home somewhere. I wouldn't worry too much about it."

"She's a _friend_! You're not supposed to just...brush her aside like that." He bristled, pushing Shinichi away. For a moment, Shinichi missed the warmth and comfort.

"I didn't say anything about not caring about her, just that I'm sure she's safe right now." He tries to defend himself but it was clear the magician was not buying into his words.

"You sure have a funny way to showing it." The magician glared, eyes narrowing and entirely too focused on Shinichi's face as though trying to detect a lie. Shinichi could not help but gulp.

"I…" Shinichi could not be certain how to reply to that. He wondered if it was possible to actually tell the magician the truth. However, in the end, he settled for, "I trust her. You should trust her too if...if…"

"If?" There was an expectant look on the magician's face. It looked as though he was daring Shinichi to confirm something.

"If you're her friend." He settled on something neutral even though he could guess what sorts of feelings the magician might have on Shiina. It was becoming both harder and easier to think of the character as someone else. On the one hand, Shiina, like his mother had said, was part of him. Even though he was acting the part, some of the emotions felt by Shiina was also felt by Shinichi. On the other hand, and on a more logical level, Shinichi knew Shiina was only a made up character, a fake persona based on his own personality. He truly wanted to be the magician's friend but every time they talk, it seemed as though the magician would accuse him of something. Like right now, the magician was accusing him of not paying enough attention to Shiina, even though Shinichi and Shiina was apparently only friends.

"She's a friend. A very good friend. And I _treasure_ her." The magician admitted with conviction. "She's kindhearted and sensitive. Something that you should learn from her."

Shinichi's eyes immediately turned towards the vase that the magician seemed to be also staring at. This action just confirms for Shinichi what the magician thought of him. He hid the disappointment as best he could, hoping that it did not show on his face. But the magician seemed to have developed a keen sense and quickly turned to look at Shinichi.

"You're frowning." He stated. "I'm guessing I hit a nerve then?"

Shinichi quickly turned away, facing the window and hoping to catch a glimpse of his own reflection. There was nothing on his face however, just the normal bland expression.

"It's not evident but...I guess it's because I've seen something similar before." The magician admitted, fingers reaching towards the stems of flowers, gently touching the ivy leaves. "You really have spent time with her then…"

Shinichi remained silent as he tries to decipher the magician's meaning. It took a while but Shinichi realised the magician was referring to the supposed time he spent with Shiina (or vice-versa, he could not be too sure of the implied meaning).

"Even your expressions are the same."

Now would have been a good time to admit to the truth. It would be easy for Shinichi to just say the words. And yet, some part of him still wishes for the magician to realise the truth for himself. It was as though Shinichi was trying to repay the favour of accidentally knowing about KID and his civilian identity. Shinichi was about to say something when the door knocked once more. The doctor's head peeked through the opening to.

"Ah, good Kudo-kun. You're awake. I just wanted to check up on you. If everything's fine, it would be best to move you back home. I think it'll ease the police's worries." The doctor smiled as he nodded to the magician. "You have a guest today? At this hour?"

"He's a...friend." Shinichi hesitated.

"It's good to see that you'll have someone to escort you back home then." The doctor picked up the clipboard at the end of the bed. "As much as I feel that you would receive better care in the hospital, the truth is we don't have the security means. By keeping you here, it's just a matter of time before you try to escape this room." The doctor looked around the room before landing a rather pitying look at Shinichi. "Not that I blame you though. This room is created to hold criminals as it is the most secure location in the hospital. After what happened last year, with the high profile criminal, we couldn't take the risk and had this particular room renovated and secured."

"High profile criminal?" The doctor seemed to be startled at the magician's voice. It was possible the doctor had forgotten about having another person in the room.

"Yes, but that's all I'm going to say. The police has forbidden the hospital to release any type of information." He flipped through a few more pages, signifying the end of that particular conversation. "Now then, Kudo-kun. Tell me, do you feel any stabbing pain…"

The doctor began a series of question, asked Shinichi to perform several simple gestures. Between actions, Shinichi managed to sneak a glance at the magician sitting near the wall. There was a prominent frown on the magician's face whenever Shinichi seemed to stutter at the actions or when he could not hold back a wince. Shinichi guessed the magician must be feeling guilty.

"It's not really noticeable anymore." Shinichi said when the doctor was examining the wound on his shoulder and asked whether there was pain in his movement. With the bandages off, the angry red wound was quite visible.

"Hm..." The doctor commented as he rewrapped the bandages. "The nurses mentioned something about you not taking the pain medication?"

"It messes up my thought process and it makes me drowsy."

"I can prescribe something else. Working through the pain is not something I would recommend you to do though." The doctor made a few more notes on the clipboard before smiling triumphantly at Shinichi. "Well, you'll be pleased to hear that with the rate of your recovery, I believe it is possible for you to return home. However, I would much prefer for you to use the wheelchair, to keep the pressure off the leg wound. But I know it'll be near impossible to have you take the wheelchair, so at least no sports for a month, no strenuous exercise for a month, and most importantly, no running and chasing criminals." The last part was said loudly, enough for the the voice to travel out of the door so the two officers outside could hear, which was possibly the doctor's intention.

"I promise doctor. Now when would I be able to leave?" Shinichi asked eagerly.

"If you really need to, I can get the paperwork now. Though be reminded that you are expected to come in a week afterwards for a checkup. Otherwise, we can wait until you've made your arrangements for someone…"

"Now's fine. I'll help him to settle back home." The magician offered, much to Shinichi's surprise. "I know where he lives and I'll make sure he's well looked after at home."

The doctor looked skeptical but he still motioned for the magician to follow him. "Come with me then. You'll have to get his medication as well. We've already received instructions about billing, which reminds me. Kudo-kun, your parents said they would not be able to visit you this afternoon. Though seeing as you'll be out of the hospital, you might want to give them a call just in case."

"Of course doctor. Thanks."

The magician turned towards him before exiting the door, as though wanting to add something, but he shook his head and followed the doctor silently away. Shinichi had to frown at the strange action. 'I hope he's not doing this because he feels guilty…' Shinichi could read the guilt in the violet eyes easily. 'It's really not his fault.'

 **-TBC-**


	23. This little piggy went to the market

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: This happened after Ch18. Really, Kai-chan's skills aren't that bad...

* * *

 **Interlude (3): This little piggy went to the market**

Kaito flopped onto his bed after his visit of a certain bed-ridden detective. He stretched his arms towards the ceiling, eyeing the skin and flexing of the muscle as he tries to take hold of the light streaming from the singular light fixture in his room.

"What's so...defining about my hands that gave me away." He turned his hands backwards and forwards, examining every inch. "What did the detective see from my hands?"

Not being able to see the defining feature, Kaito let his arm fall back onto his stomach. The harsh glare from the lights would normally cause his eyes to water and droop, especially after so little sleep during the past few days (nightmares were a regular occurrence after the hospitalisation of the detective, Kaito has yet to figure out the reason and meaning behind them), instead he found his eyes focusing on the bland ceiling light.

"Maybe he was just bluffing?" He mumbled out loud to the ceiling. A singular dove seemingly have heard his question and decided to land on his chest, staring down at Kaito with her beady eyes. "Perhaps to put me off-guard?"

The dove cooed, waddling across the chest at random until it found a more comfortable place to settle on Kaito's chest. He reached up, patting the soft features and stroking them slowly. It was relaxing up until the dove decided to fluff her features with a shake.

"You don't like my hands?" Kaito poked at the belly of his dove and was rewarded with a warning nip on the tip of his fingers. He was more-or-less used to such treatment and they barely hurt for him. "Or did you, too, noticed something about my hands?"

Another coo before the dove hovered several centimeters above his chest to glide to the pillow Kaito was resting on. She nudged at his cheeks before pecking softly, her form of a kiss.

"Thanks girl. I needed some comfort. After all, it's not everyday my skills in disguise were brought to question." He reached up to further stroke at the feathers but she quickly flew away, settling onto the coat rack by the door. Not a moment too soon, Kaito heard the opening of the front door and his mother's customary greeting.

Jumping from the bed, he made a quick dash down the stairs to greet his mother.

"Welcome home." He launched himself from the steps to give a flying hug to his startled mother. Thankfully, his mother's core strength was strong enough to handle the sudden impact.

"Not that I'm complaining but you haven't been that enthusiastic ever since primary school." She tries to extricate his hands that had wrapped around the back of her neck. "What's the occasion?"

"Do I need a reason to greet my own mother?" Kaito jumped back down, stepping slightly away from his mother.

"Perhaps." She shrugged before throwing her handbag towards Kaito, who caught it with a soft grunt.

"What do you have in there?" Kaito exaggerated his motions as he _wrestles_ the handbag to a proper grip.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Purse, keys, mobile phone, smoke pallets and sleeping bombs." She answers, brushing past Kaito at the same time. "Never leave home without them." She patted him on the top of his head before heading over to the kitchens, all the while muttering about wanting something sweet to drink and asking whether Kaito wanted any.

Obediently, Kaito followed behind his mother, remembering to drop off the bag in her room before joining her at the tables. As he waited for his mother to finish making the hot chocolate, Kaito magicked a plastic tube and began squeezing out its contents. A waft of lavender diffused through the kitchen, overwhelming the sweet scent. His mother turned to look at him with a questioning raise of her brow but otherwise said nothing. Slowly, Kaito applied the cream all over his hands, taking care to massage them into the skin.

"Ok Kaito," She placed a light blue mug in front of Kaito, "now you're scaring me. What's wrong?" There was distinct worry in her voice, to which it was not Kaito's turn to raise a questioning eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" He reached over to cup the mug, its contents being too hot to drink but the heat was soothing to his skin.

"Despite hands being important to a magician, you rarely display such...care...towards their maintenance. At least, normally not where I can see." Her eyes flickered between the hands and the plastic tube now laying sideways on the table.

"Well...a certain _someone_ commented on my hands lately so I decided to take more care of them."

"Uh huh, I'm not buying that." Her eyes narrowed and Kaito had nearly twitched under her scrutiny. But he was not willing to part with the actual truth just yet for he knew his mother would definitely make fun of him and his new predicament. Then will probably proceed to make a jab at his skills before offering to ' _re-train_ ' him. "I'm guessing it's because your hands exposed your identity to this certain someone? Did you try and blindfold them with your hands? They are particularly smooth for a boy's hands you know." She reached out, taking care as her fingers pressed on several areas of his palm.

"Of course not! I did not even touch that person!" He snatched his hands away from his mother, cradling it as he added softly, "though he did touch me…"

"Oh ho? Then you were in disguise?" There was a suggestive look on her face and Kaito had to look away in fear that his mother managed to pick up any minuscule reaction through his ever-perfect Poker Face. "I'm guessing you became _acquainted_ with a detective then? After all, only their kind can see through disguises."

Instead of replying, Kaito took the mug to his lips and began to blow away the steam, hoping the content could cool down quicker to become palatable.

"Let's see...I don't think it would be Hakuba-kun. He's may be observant but he wouldn't make such comments. And I'm sure the boy have seen your hands one too many times, and probably felt them nearly as many times, to cause you such worry...perhaps someone new then?" She sounded quite amused. "The other detective I've heard about recently, that you would be in contact to, would be Kudo Shinichi?"

Kaito nearly choked at his drink. He played it off as the liquid was too hot even though it was not the truth. Sticking his tongue out, he gently waved his hand over the pretend-burnt tongue.

"So it is Shinichi-kun that has you rattled." She looked triumphant. "So? What did he say? What were you doing that allowed you to be within grabbing distance?"

"Just visiting. He was injured in a KID heist and I felt it's justified for me to visit. At least to make sure he's recovering or something…" Kaito was becoming defensive, trying to avoid details. But he knew his mother could read between the lines and put the whole story together with so little input from his end.

"You were in a disguise weren't you? A female nurse perhaps? You've always taken a liking to use female disguises."

"I do not!" Even with Kaito's protest, his mother did not believe it.

"Of course dear. Now, what did you slip up on? Make-up? Costume? No. It couldn't be costume as you could have easily nicked something from the lockers. Voice then? No, still impossible as you're more like Toichi, having perfect pitch and can replicate any voice you hear. Then that leaves…" She looked at his hands, staring at them as though it would reveal the answers. She then looked at her own hands. A moment later, her eyes lit up. "So that's why…"

"What?" Curiosity burned in Kaito. "What's the problem? Why?"

"Oh, don't you worry Kaito. It's not something so easily picked up on. Though I'm guessing Shinichi-kun only saw through the disguise was because you were using a character that he has regular contact with."

"What? What? 'Kaa-san, tell me." Kaito demanded, even if it sounded more like a whine.

"Hm….I think not." She stood up from her seat, taking her purse and drink with her towards the exit. Kaito pouted at the action. "It's something you need to work out on your own. And I'd suggest that you better put some thought into it. It does help if you can fall into the mindset of a detective though, it'll be good practice for you."

"Wait 'kaa-san!" Kaito stood up just as quickly but his mother already bade him a goodnight and was beginning her ascent up the stairs. Kaito instantly fell back into his seat as he stared at his hands once more. "What is it about my hands that gave me away?!" He growled in frustration before reaching out to forcefully take the cup from its resting position. With a single gulp, he downed the sweetened liquid before heading off the bed himself. He knew it would be another night of restless sleep between the pondering and nightmares.

 **-TBC-**


	24. When the fog has lifted

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: I know, I know, Kai-chan sounds as though he is undeserving of Shin-chan's love...But he is trying. Again, this chapter goes back in time slightly.

* * *

 **Ch20: When the fog has lifted**

Kaito had decided to come to the hospital in broad daylight, and most importantly as himself, because he had been unable to contact his Lady for the past two weeks. He was worried for her (and worried about her), the fact that she seemingly having dropped out of contact scared him. The only reason he could think of was that she was spending her time in a hospital. That bristled Kaito more than anything, to think she would drop everything to visit the detective. Not having any other means of communication, and deciding to take a stab in the dark, Kaito decided to visit said detective on the off chance his Lady would be there.

Walking down the somewhat familiar corridors of the hospital, Kaito noticed and recognised the two officers by the door. Both their eyes had zeroed in on him upon approach.

"Can I help you?" Takagi asked cordially, most likely thinking he was lost. Though the look suggested he was sceptical and suspicious about Kaito.

"I'm here to visit Kudo Shinichi." Kaito declared boldly, looking between the pair. Satou narrowed her eyes before motioning Kaito to follow her. Not wanting to cause a scene, at least not as his civilian persona, he obediently followed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Takagi knocking softly on the door most likely to confirm his identity with the detective.

"Now, KID, why are you here?" Satou crossed her arms in front of her, at the same time blocking the only means of escape from this corridor. There was a reason why the room was located so far away from the main elevator shaft and the officer had decided to take him in the opposite direction, leading him to a dead end and boxing him in. Not that Kaito could not escape if he wanted but he did not want to cause unneeded disturbances.

"What do you mean? I'm not KID." He defended himself, posture remaining as open and innocent as possible. "I'm just a friend of the detective. Or more specifically, we have a mutual friend and I was asked to check up on him. Just ask him, we know each other and I'm definitely no KID." This was more of a buff based on loose truth. He had briefly met with the detective in his civilian persona but Kaito could not be sure whether he made enough of an impression on the detective for said detective to vouch for his character.

"Yea, nice try KID. You've sneaked in once as someone else, what's to stop you from actually taking on _this_ particular persona. Plus the fact that you look extremely like Kudo-kun, I'd say your disguise was on purpose. Perhaps you're feeling guilty for what happened?" Satou leaned in, as though to intimidate. Kaito gulped in response.

'Why are all the woman so assertive?'

"Say if I am…" Kaito had thought to prove his face was actually his and not a disguise but he decided to humour the woman instead, who seemed triumphant at his pseudo-admission, "I said _if_ , not that I am. But let's just assume that, are you going to arrest me then?"

After several tense moments of silence, Satou shook her head. "No, but I do want to take your statement. Division One is responsible for violent crimes. Thievery is not in our jurisdiction." A small, conspiratorial smile appeared on her face and Kaito had to wonder whether there was a cost involved in her silence. "Don't worry so much KID, I'm an officer and I won't blackmail you. Although, you might want to do me a favour…"

"What kind of favour?" If she was anything like his mother, it might be an embarrassing kind. But then again, she seemed to be more _normal_ that the rest of the female population he meet on a regular basis (his Lady not included as his Lady was definitely beyond human comprehension with her beauty, wit, and grace) so it might just be his paranoia and overreaction.

"Maybe a signed autograph or two?" She suggested with a shrug.

"You're not going to auction it online are you?" He shuddered, remembering some of the sites he accidentally visited and found the absurd price for some of the props left on the scene (all inconsequential props that would not trace back to him of course). There was that supposed white handkerchief he left on the scene, not that he remembered ever using the cotton fabric, and the price on that was beyond what anyone would pay. Kaito knew for a fact that the price at the time could probably buy several small houses and its upkeep for a few years.

"I wonder…" She left her sentence and Kaito had to sweat. He knew how much KID merchandise can sell for and if it was an article genuinely left by the phantom thief, then the price was astronomical. Another reason why Adviser Suzuki's current fortune is estimated to be triple the amount of a year ago. "Don't worry. I'm not going to sell it. Though my friend is an avid friend of yours."

"Like I said, I'm Not KID." He knew that it was near impossible to persuade the officer but it still needed to be said.

"Of course. Of course." There was no amount of belief in those words. "You're _not_ KID. You're _just a friend_." Satou turned back in time when Takagi called. "Looks like Kudo-kun recognised you." She made a grab for Kaito's forearm and tugged them back towards the room.

Kaito noticed the grip to be stronger than usual, as though Satou wanted to keep him in place or restrain him from escaping. Not that he had any intention by this point. He kept a smile on his face.

"If anything's wrong Kudo-kun, just give us a shout ok?" Sato beamed at the detective, gave Kaito a look of warning, before closing the door and leaving them to their privacy. Though Kaito was certain they were keeping a keen ear on the conversation.

"So…" The detective tries to start up the conversation, breaking Kaito's observation of the room. It seemed nothing much had changed, though the flowers he sent was a pleasant addition to the room. It gave some colour to the otherwise boring room and it looked to be well taken cared of. He wondered whether he should have sent a potted plant just to give the detective something to do.

His eyes were drawn on the phone that settled by the vase. The blinking light caused a frown to appear unknowingly on his face. For some reason, it had bothered him.

"Is there a reason for your visit?" Kaito's attention was once again drawn back to the detective's face. At least he was looking slightly better than last time he visited.

"Hm...I guess she's not here then…" He sat down on the provided chair, trying his best to settle to a somewhat comfortable position. He had hoped to see his Lady here but it seems she has not visited today. Or perhaps not even having visited at all, which was a disturbing thought.

" _She_?" It sounded as though the detective never thought of someone coming to visit him, which was a sad thing. Though, from what Kaito has heard about the detective, he did not seem to have that many friends. Many casual acquaintances but not many that could be called close. Kaito figured it might be because the only time the detective would meet new people, it would be on a crime scene. He felt somewhat saddened at this thought.

"Yes, _she_. Irie Shiina. She hasn't been picking up my calls so I thought she might be here with you. Hospitals don't usually allow phones…" At least that was his reason for his visit. From the minute the detective had landed himself in the hospital, he felt responsible and had wanted to constantly check up on him. However, his pride and the fact that they are rivals kept him from visiting too often. Still, it did not stop his daily flowers nor the books and cases he sent over. His eyes skimmed over towards the books, one particular sitting on the bedside table caught his interest as it seemed too thick. He shook his head before looking back at the phone, stopping his tangential thoughts. "I take it she called you at some point?"

The detective seemed confused and Kaito helped by pointing at the phone.

"Your phone's blinking. It means unread message or missed call. I'm guessing it's both in this case." But still, the detective did not bother to pick up the phone. Sighing, he pitied the detective for being so cold and oblivious about emotions. At the same time, Kaito could not believe why his Lady would choose this detective over everyone else. Surely there are more trees in the forest and this particular one is way past its used-by date. "Go on, take it. I'm sure she's worried by now. You should ease her distress."

"It's fine, I can check later." The detective waved his concern off casually. Angered by the casual tone, Kaito stood up from his seat and slammed his hands on the bed, instantly startling the detective.

"What do you mean _later_? You should do that NOW! She's...she might be…" Kaito's fears of what happened to his Lady surfaced. If one of KID's detective could be hurt like this, there might be a chance that Snake had found out about his civilian identity. There might be a chance that Snake and figured out how to ensure KID's cooperation by using everyone and everything that Kaito deemed dear to him. There might be a chance that his Lady was accidentally caught up in his self proclaimed mission. Kaito did not want to think about what Snake would do to his Lady if it had came to that. He had to bite his lips to stop himself from blurting everything out loud. Bowing his head, he hoped the detective could not sense his distress. His Poker Face was becoming undone at the mere thought of what could happen to his Lady.

"I'm sure she's fine. She's forgetful like that, which is why you weren't able to reach her. And if you're that concerned, let me just say that I haven't seen her for the duration of my stay here."

"How _could_ you? You...you sound as though you don't care for her." The bland tone was jarring for Kaito. For all the apparent love his Lady has for this detective, said detective did not seem to be returning the same degree of emotion. "Did you know she...that…" He wanted to desperately tear the detective apart but he held back. Instead, he tightened his grip on the white bedsheet, hoping the sudden flare of anger would subside.

Kaito saw the detective reaching out to place a hand over his but he still did not move. He was just beginning to pull his Poker Face back together when he felt arms wrapping around his shoulders. The warmth from the arm somehow soothed Kaito and he suddenly felt a sense of nostalgia. When the detective rested his chin on his head, Kaito could feel the anger seeping out and began to relax slightly.

"She's fine. I _know_ she's fine. She's just...forgetful. Always is." The softness of the detective's voice stirred something in Kaito's mind. It sounded familiar. "I'm sorry…"

Kaito immediately stiffened at the apology. Not that he was startled by the words, but more by the tone. It sounded extremely familiar to one he heard recently, albeit the timbre is slightly different. But the intonations were the same. Combine that with the feeling he is currently receiving, it made his heart pang.

"What…" Kaito struggled the loose hold, hoping to put some distance between himself and the detective. His mind was drawing up strange conclusions, ones that he did not want to admit. "What did you say just now?"

"I said she'll be fine." The detective's voice and tone returned to that before Kaito's semi-breakdown. And for a moment, Kaito thought he imagined the softly spoken words just then if not for the remaining heat on the back of his hands. There was something in the detective's eyes that Kaito recognised. The same shade of blue he had seen under the dim lighting of a western house. It held a sense of hidden pain and helplessness as well as a tinge of guilt. It looked all too similar to that instance inside the large and gloomy house with his Lady standing by the stairs looking slightly pained and lost. "Shiina, she's forgetful about her mobile all the time. She probably haven't charged it up or left it at home somewhere. I wouldn't worry too much about it."

The way the detective had related this information about his Lady was making Kaito draw worrying conclusions. The more he thought about it, the more it made a strange sort of sense. But Kaito did not want to believe his conclusions, at least not without some sort of confirmation or evidence. "She's a _friend_! You're not supposed to just...brush her aside like that." He pushed the detective away. His heart had sped up ever so slightly that Kaito had to mask his real reaction with the more familiar argument they had before.

"I didn't say anything about not caring about her, just that I'm sure she's safe right now." To Kaito, it sounded like the detective was making up excuses.

"You sure have a funny way to showing it." Kaito focused his eyes on the detective's face, instantly seeing the small cracks in the nonchalant mask. There was definite traces of pain there. Not the physical pain that normally produce a wince or scrunch of the eye, but the emotional kind where it just sits at the back of the mind, feeding negative thoughts every second.

"I…" The detective seemed nervous as he gulped. The tensing of the hands on his lap was a dead giveaway to the imminent lie the detective was about to make. Kaito would not believe a single word from the detective from this moment onwards. "I trust her. You should trust her too if...if…"

"If?" However, the hopeful tone in the detective made Kaito reconsider. The way the detective bowed over, or bowed down his head, as though in resignation seemed to be an offer to Kaito. As though the detective was leaving the matter in Kaito's hands and surrendering to him. It was an odd feeling, an odd thought, to have a detective surrender to a thief and it was one that made Kaito winced. He did not want to see something like this from any of his detective, as it meant the detective have given up on him, and especially not this particular one.

"If you're her friend." The words were very soft and was spoken in a near pleading tone.

"She's a friend. A very good friend. And I _treasure_ her." That much Kaito was certain. No matter what, Irie Shiina would remain someone dear to him. "She's kindhearted and sensitive. Something that you should learn from her." He turned to look at the vase, suddenly having an epiphany. The first batch of flowers he sent over was him trying to extend his friendship towards the detective because he felt indebted to him. But when he was unable to contact his Lady, he was annoyed at the detective. Now, the recent batch of flowers were sent more on a whim rather than trying to put any meaning behind it. However, it seemed that his subconscious had already picked up on his emotions and caused him to select those flowers. 'But who was the true recipient of these flowers…' Kaito had to wonder, were the flowers for the detective in front of him right now or for his Lady whom he could not contact but was related to the detective.

The detective's silence was quite unnerving, it was as though he had stopped breathing.

"You're frowning." He stated. The detective immediately looked away to hide the expression. But Kaito still caught it, the way his eyes soften when Kaito mentioned the qualities of Irie Shiina. "I'm guessing I hit a nerve then?"

In a way, Kaito actually saw the similarities between Kudo Shinichi and Irie Shiina, they were both kindhearted but where the former hid it all behind his rather cold and seemingly heartless facade, the latter decided to be more upfront about emotions and feelings.

"It's not evident but...I guess it's because I've seen something similar before." Kaito's mind seemed to have made its own decision without much of Kaito's own input as he trailed a finger on the stem of ivy. "You really have spent time with her then…" His mouth ran away with him once more, something that he seemed to be prone at doing lately.

"Even your expressions are the same." He commented when the detective remained silent and trying to keep a bland expression. The way the mouth would tighten just a fraction and a small crease forming at the edges of the blue eyes, how the lips seemed to turn itself inwards and be bitten upon by unsuspecting teeth. These were the little signals that Kaito had seen before. Kaito wanted to say something, to admit to something that he knew should not be said but the urge to do something was great. He wanted to rant at the detective yet also reach out to tuck the fringe hiding those blue eyes. When the doctor opened the door, Kaito quickly stuffed his hands back into his pockets.

"Ah, good Kudo-kun. You're awake. I just wanted to check up on you. If everything's fine, it would be best to move you back home. I think it'll ease the police's worries." The doctor smiled as he nodded in his direction, a motion of acceptance. There was curiosity burning in the doctor's eyes and Kaito had to wonder what it meant. "You have a guest today? At this hour?"

"He's a...friend." Kaito realized he did not like the hesitance in the detective's speech. It sounded as though it never crossed the detective's mind that he would want to actually become more than passing acquaintance. That was something that needed to be fixed immediately. As much as it endangers him to become close acquaintance with the detective, he actually felt a need to become closer to him. Though whether it was because he wanted to keep his Lady close to him through this detective or whether it was a genuine feeling of purely wanting the detective's company, Kaito has yet to make up his mind. If the conclusion his mind was drawing is true, Kaito felt the detective owed him. Something that must be paid back with interest. And to claim this, he would need the detective to stay close. But if the conclusion in his mind was false, Kaito still needed to keep the detective close to him just so he could see his Lady once more.

"It's good to see that you'll have someone to escort you back home then." The doctor's words were concerning. It implied that there was currently no one to take care of the ailing detective. "As much as I feel that you would receive better care in the hospital, the truth is we don't have the security means. By keeping you here, it's just a matter of time before you try to escape this room. Not that I blame you though. This room is created to hold criminals as it is the most secure location in the hospital." Kaito held back the laughter at the thought of the detective dressed in prison overalls and being kept in the hospital room. He could just imagine the scowl on the detective's face as he plotted an escape route. "After what happened last year, with the high profile criminal, we couldn't take the risk and had this particular room renovated and secured."

"High profile criminal?" That had made Kaito curious, he never heard much about having a dangerous criminal escaping from a hospital in Beika. Though it would not be surprising seeing as the crime rate around Beika was extraordinarily high.

"Yes, but that's all I'm going to say. The police has forbidden the hospital to release any type of information." The doctor signified it to be the end of that particular discussion. Though Kaito had to wonder whether the detective had been involved in that incident, or perhaps the detective was the one who helped apprehend the criminal in the end. "Now then, Kudo-kun. Tell me, do you feel any stabbing pain…"

Kaito listened attentively to the doctor's questioning and the detective's response. He had to hold back on calling the lies the detective seems to be making. It was definite that the detective was hiding the level of pain, possibly to avoid further medication. Kaito did not approve of such an action even if he could understand how pain medication often made people sleepy. Even when he was injured as KID, he rarely took them. He sympathised with the detective when the doctor reprimanded him of pushing the medication aside. Kaito had heard similar speeches made by Jii and his own mother, admonishing him for not taking better care of himself.

"Well, you'll be pleased to hear that with the rate of your recovery, I believe it is possible for you to return home. However, I would much prefer for you to use the wheelchair, to keep the pressure off the leg wound. But I know it'll be near impossible to have you take the wheelchair, so at least no sports for a month, no strenuous exercise for a month, and most importantly, no running and chasing criminals." To hear the doctor saying the detective have a relatively clean bill of health, despite all the injuries, and that he would recover is good to know. However, hearing that the detective would be confined to a wheelchair, when Kaito knew said detective was an avid football player, was saddening.

"I promise doctor. Now when would I be able to leave?"

Already, Kaito was making plans to help the detective settle back into the gloomy Kudo mansion. He felt this was his responsibility seeing as the detective was injured because of KID.

"If you really need to, I can get the paperwork now. Though be reminded that you are expected to come in a week later for a checkup. Otherwise, we can wait until you've made your arrangements for someone…"

Kaito had to thank his luck for the doctor's opening.

"Now's fine. I'll help him to settle back home." He offered, stepping close to the detective's bed. He laid a hand on the shoulders, applying a small amount of pressure to ensure the detective would not say anything else. "I know where he lives and I'll make sure he's well looked after at home."

The doctor looked sceptical but he still motioned for Kaito to follow him. "Come with me then. You'll have to get his medication as well. We've already received instructions about billing, which reminds me. Kudo-kun, your parents said they would not be able to visit you this afternoon. Though seeing as you'll be out of the hospital, you might want to give them a call just in case."

Kaito turned to look back on the reclining detective. There was a sense of loss in the blue eyes and his heart demanded to know why that was the case. It was not as though Kaito was not coming back to the room. He had agreed to help the detective and he was a man of his words. He shook his head, hoping to dislodge the thought, as he followed behind the doctor for the forms.

Several signatures later, the hospital released the detective into Kaito's care, with the explicit order to stay with the detective at all times. When asked, the on-duty nurse commented the detective had a tendency to overstretch and tear out the stitches, with the addition of a compromised immune system that none of the doctors were able to figure out the reason for, the detective was prone to infection and delirious fevers in such cases. Nodding, Kaito gave the staff his word to keep a constant eye on the detective. He had the mind to call Jii to give him a lift as one of the nurses went to fetch a spare wheelchair.

"He might not want to take this home, but at least he should use it between here and your transport." The nurse pushed the handles into Kaito's hands. Kaito had to agree, the less pressure placed on wounds, the better it would heal.

"Well?" Kaito said as he pushed the empty wheelchair into the room. The detective was in the exact same position as he left, eyes staring at the doorway before turning into a glare at the sight of the wheelchair. "You know, you could have showed a little bit more enthusiasm and began changing or something. If not, then at least made an effort to reply the messages on your phone."

Kaito eyed the still blinking phone as he parked the chair next to the bed before looking around hoping to spot a bag or something.

"Why?" The detective asked, not moving an inch.

"What do you mean?" Kaito stopped his search, not that there were any places that could stash a bag away. The room was extremely bare save for the books and flowers.

"Why are you helping me? You weren't exactly...pleasant with me a moment ago."

"You're a patient with no one to take you home. I'm not mean enough to do that even though you liked to play with people's feelings." Kaito had to stop himself from lashing out. Satou was still standing guard just outside the door and any argument, or loud voices for that fact, could be taken in the wrong direction. He remembered seeing Takagi entering the elevator, possibly going to the store on the ground floor to purchase a bag of some sort from the convenience store. "Say, do you even have a change of clothing or are you stuck with the hospital gown?"

"I think the hospital still had the clothes I came in with…" The detective looked down at his clothes before blushing in embarrassment. "But I don't think they'll be appropriate…"

"Well, you're in luck." Kaito did not bother to hold back the evil smile. A little bit of teeth showed itself in between the grin. "I just happen to have several selective outfits for you to try on!"

With a puff of smoke, Kaito held in his hands two selected outfits. Both of which were ones he had been hoping to put onto the blond detective in school but have yet the chance to execute his wondrous trick (or as many would like to call it, humiliating prank). The one on the left was a leotard set with black top and white leggings. The body hugging costume had fluffs of fur around the ankles and wrist, making the wearer look more like a cute animal. There was even a little tail on the backside. On his other hand was a nice sailor uniform complete with short (really really short) skirt and knee-high stockings. Kaito also had the decency to pick up a pair of bright red heels that could match both outfits.

"Now, which one do you prefer? The black or the uniform? Personally, I think the black one looks better, it'll suit you." Kaito waved the left costume in the air. "And if you think it's not enough, I remember I have a pair of ears that goes along with it…"

"No need!" The detective skittered to the furthest edge of the bed, hoping to put a little distance between himself and the clothes. "Takagi-keiji just went to the convenience store to buy the necessities. I'm sure Satou-keiji had the mind to have him pick up something for me to wear as well."

"If not, you'll always have these~ You'll look lovely I'm sure" The smile turned into a toothy grin as he magicked the costumes away. In his hands, he held his own phone and waved it in front of the detective. "I'm sure there are many people who'd love a picture of you in these outfits. Why, I could even sell them and make a fortune!" For added effect, Kaito leered at the detective as though checking him out. The detective quickly pulled up the blankets to cover more of his body and Kaito could not help but laughed out loud.

"You!" But before any more words could be said, Takagi returned with a plastic bag of goods and looked confused between them.

"Ano...is everything alright?" He questioned, carefully sidestepping the partially maniac Kaito.

"We're fine. Just trying to have him try on some clothes that's all." Kaito chuckled into his hand. "He's rather...shy about changing in front of people it seems."

"Right…" The officer did not seem to believe him but still left his purchases on the end of the bed. "There's a shirt and pants inside. I think they should fit. And also, a large canvas bag to hold the books."

The detective nodded and made to grab the bag, only pulling back at the last instant with a hiss. Sighing, Kaito leaned over to move the bag closer to the detective.

"Don't overstretch." He reprimanded, rummaging through the purchases until he located the canvas bag. He slowly began to pack the books, starting with the ones on the floor. Just as he made a motion to put the one on the bedside table, the detective's hand shot out to stop Kaito.

"Not yet, I'll put that in later." The grip on Kaito's wrist was near painful and he took the hint. Moving his own hand away, he saw how the detective would gently brush the invisible lint on the cover. It looked as though the detective was lost in his own world as he gently opened the book to its middle page and laid a handful of tissue paper between it. He next took the flowers in the small vase and began arranging them on top of the tissue paper.

Kaito frowned at the care the detective placed on the flowers. It did not seem to be the first to receive such treatment.

"Why are you doing that?" It was curiosity that caused Kaito to ask the question.

"I don't like to waste the flowers, especially since the sender took the time to pick them out." The detective's full focus was on laying the flower artistically on the open page.

"And did you do it for all the flowers?" Kaito eyed the vase, feeling slightly apprehensive about the answer.

"Only these ones that were sent to me. Though not many people send my flowers to begin with so I guess…?" It made Kaito feel all warm and fuzzy inside to hear the detective somehow treasuring the flowers he sent as KID.

"Do you _know_ the sender?" Kaito tries to distract himself with something, anything to keep his gaze from the soften facial expression and careful hands on petals.

"Not really but I'd like to think I know enough about the sender even if I don't know _of_ the sender…"

Kaito decided it would be a best place to leave the conversation and venture into another topic. For some odd reason, he did not want to hear whether the detective knew it was KID who sent him the flowers or not. It caused a strange pang in his chest even though Kaito and KID were one and the same, but the realisation of detective putting KID above Kaito was somewhat disconcerting.

"If you want to leave, you better change. I'll check whether the car has arrived." The confusion on the detective's face was quite interesting. Kaito was tempted to think it to be 'cute' and 'alluring' but those descriptions are reserved for his Lady and not the detective.

Thankfully, the detective did not argue when Kaito transported him on the wheelchair towards Jii's parked car. It was a blessing to not having to wrestle the stubborn detective to acknowledge his current need for additional support in his condition. Jii made small talk as he drove, keeping to light topics surrounding current affairs and new events in the area. The detective chipped in his two cents every so often, recounting stories (mostly cases he solved) that somehow links to the current topic. In no time, they were parked in front of the Kudo manor and Jii was already pulling out the wheelchair the hospital loaned to them and set it beside the opened passenger door. Unfortunately, being the stubborn detective that he is, the wheelchair was refused. Kaito sighed and asked Jii to bring the crutches and watched as the detective slowly made his way to the front door. A quick word with Jii and the elder man agreed to return the wheelchair to the hospital, leaving Kaito standing in front of the gates with the detective's bag.

Standing in front of the Kudo manor brought a bout of deja vu for Kaito. The last time he stood in front of the wrought iron gates was the day his Lady left Tokyo.

'Speaking of, I should probably leave her a message…' Kaito pulled out his phone to type a quick message as the detective went about to open the front doors clumsily. The detective did not seem to be used to the crutches just yet and he leaned dangerously towards one side that Kaito had to bring the detective back to standing upright hurriedly. The detective smiled shyly before turning back to open the door as Kaito typed a quick message on his phone.

"Um…" The detective hesitated by the entryway, looking sideways and avoided Kaito's eyes. He looks as though he was debating whether he should do something.

"At least invite me in." Kaito shrugged to readjust the bag hanging off his shoulders. "Your books are heavy. Where do you want them?"

The detective must not have expected Kaito to be still helping him now that he was safely back in the house. "The library if you will."

"Down the hallway?" Kaito did not bother to wait for the detective's confirmation and headed down the path. He knew, from his previous visits here, where each of the rooms were. His Lady has spent a fair amount of time there and had, at one point, invited Kaito to join her in the comforting setting amongst the books.

Setting the bag at a nearby corner, Kaito turned to actually look at his surroundings. Every time he was here, his eyes were drawn towards his Lady rather than the treasures this place contains. Now without such beautiful distractions, Kaito could appreciate the beauty inside the room of silence. He spied several books that he had been itching to read but could never find the original versions of. There was a large, empty vase on one of the tables in front of a glass cabinet. A small violin case rested inside the glass cabinet with several silver framed photos of a younger looking detective and several small trophies. He wondered what those trophies were for but it would seem a bit rude of him to just approach the cabinet.

"Um...Thanks again." The detective walked awkwardly into the library. "You didn't have to help me…"

"Like I said, I'm not heartless." Kaito shrugged, looking around the library once more before letting his eyes settle on the detective standing awkwardly by the table where the books were. He took out the books, laying them on the small table, but one in particular, the overly thick tome that contained the pressed flowers, was held on by the detective. Finally, Kaito could not stand how the detective was trying to distract himself and said "Well?"

"Um...yea?" The confusion on the detective's face was definitely amusing.

"Aren't you going to inform her that you're back here? She's probably looking for you now." Kaito offered, "or is there some other reason why you're not replying?"

"Are you still that hung up on me needing to reply?" The detective sounded exasperated. "There's really no need…"

"No need." Kaito huffed, "It's not that you don't think it's necessary for you to reply, but because you can't reply. Not with me being here." Kaito glared at the detective before producing both their phones with a puff of smoke. The detective instantly patted around his pockets before rummaging through the canvas bag. "Tell me the truth detective. Why are you so hesitant to contact Irie-chan?"

"Look, it's really not your business…"

"Not me business?!" Kaito took a step forward, as though to intimidate the detective even knowing it would not work. "How is it not my business when my number is displayed on YOUR phone when I try to reach Irie-chan?" To demonstrate, Kaito made a few quick swipe with his thumb to dial back the last number, which happened to be his Lady's. Immediately, the detective's phone reacted by vibrating. The caller display read 'Kuroba Kaito'. "Explain this then!"

"What do you want me to say then?" The detective immediately reached out to snatch back his phone.

"The truth would be nice. You're a detective, and you always were quite adamant on the truth. What's to stop you now?" Kaito demanded, letting the detective have his phone again. "Or do you want me to _deduce_ it for you?" Kaito was irritated and angry at the possible lie. He knew his Poker Face was coming undone, that his emotions were on show for the detective. It was becoming quite a trend now, for his Poker Face to crack in the presence of the detective.

The silence in the library was thick and suffocating for Shinichi. The magician in front of him stared straight into his eyes, bordering on ordering him to tell the truth. He could imagine on his own shoulders the angel and devil, whispering words into his ears. The angel, oddly enough seemed to be a white-suited version of himself with a cape, was urging him to tell the truth about Irie Shiina and admit to his feelings. However, the devil, dressed much like the Night Baron only with a white half-mask instead of the deranged full-mask, was saying this was something best left to the shadows and lie his way through the accusation. Shinichi gulped, hoping to gain more time.

"Tell me Meitantei. What is the truth?" Another step by the magician caused Shinichi to step back and hit the table. The vase clattered and wobbled unsteadily behind. "My guess is you were playing with me all along weren't you? Did you find that _fun_? That you were internally laughing at my actions?"

Shinichi held his words, letting the magician rant. In a way, he deserved the magician's anger. He _had_ toyed with the magician's feelings, even though he probably did so unwittingly. He tried to dissuade the magician from becoming too close to Irie Shiina, but he always found himself being drawn in by the magician.

However, Shinichi also knew he needed to say something.

"I lent her my phone." He whispered, bowing his head and avoiding eye contact, not sure if the magician heard. "She forgot hers…" Once again, Shinichi choose to lie. But this time, it was more of a selfish reason. He did not want to hear the magician's accusatory tones anymore.

"You're still lying to me aren't you?" The dark, menacing voice, made Shinichi want to curl up somewhere. "Why can't you just tell me." There was also a hint of disappointment in the voice.

Another moment of tense silence, one that Shinichi kept his eyes glued to the ground, the magician finally broke off with a soft "you're heartless."

Shinichi snapped his head upwards, taking note of the anger in the violet eyes and the tightly drawn expression on the face.

"I can't believe you're such a heartless and selfish b-" The magician cut himself off with a snap of his jaws.

"Ku-…Ka-" Shinichi hesitated on how to address the magician. He reached out, hoping to touch the magician but he was already turning away.

"I'm leaving." He declared. "No need to show me out. I know the way."

The finality of the slamming of the front doors caused Shinichi to collapse onto the ground. He leaned back heavily on the wooden surface, letting it take his weight, as he stared up at the ceiling. Not a moment later, Shinichi heard the front doors open again. There was a pair of jovial voice, from his parents, as they called out for Shinichi.

"Shin-chan we're back! We also brought back take-away for din-..." Yukiko suddenly stopped mid-sentence as she stood by the library entrance. Immediately, she approached Shinichi with concern and worry. "Shin-chan! Is something wrong? Did you hurt yourself?"

"'Kaa-san…" Shinichi's voice sounded broke as he shook his head.

"Tell 'kaa-san what's wrong." She reached out to brush a thumb against his cheeks. "You're crying…"

Shinichi's hand touched the exact location where his mother's hands were and found they came back wet. He had not noticed that there were watery trails down his face and staining his shirt. His look of surprised must have made his mother worry more as she pulled him into a hug.

"Shh...Everything will be alright now." She patted him on his back. Shinichi had faint memory of his mother doing the same thing when he was young and had a nightmare. His father approached the two of them on the floor, standing tall with concern written on his face. He reached out and ruffled Shinichi's hair in an attempt to comfort him.

"Yukiko." His mother turned towards his father, still holding Shinichi close. "Why don't you set the table for dinner?" The strange suggestion made his mother tighten his hold once more. But as Shinichi was unable to see his father's expression, as his face was being pressed into his mother's chest, he could only assume his parents were communicating with their faces. Finally, his mother let him go. He remained bowed over, staring at the carpet floor but not taking in any details.

"Shinichi." His father helped him up, lifting him by the underarm and helping him to the nearest chair. "We saw Kaito-kun on the way out. You're mother told me everything." His voice had a calming effect on Shinichi and he could already feel the tears drying up. "I'm guessing the reveal did not go as planned then?" His father sat next to him. Even though there was no hugging involved, his father still managed to offer a sense of comfort and protection.

"There was no _reveal_." Shinichi's voice was soft and broken still. "I...didn't reveal myself. I was a coward…"

"Why do you think so?" His father rarely used this soft tone nowadays, preferring the somewhat amused tone when speaking with Shinichi. But every time Shinichi hears it, he felt the need to spill everything out.

"I just...it's…" Shinichi was not sure why he stuttered, only that he felt like a little kid having done something wrong. "He sounded so disappointed when he left...and…"

"Kaito-kun probably said some unsavoury words to you didn't he?" His father helpfully supplied. Shinichi only nodded. "It's no wonder really, though I should probably hunt Kaito-kun down because of that."

"It's not his fault!" Shinichi immediately responded, grasping tight onto his father's jacket sleeves to prevent him from leaving his seat. "He only said them because of what I did...or rather what I didn't do."

His father had a wry smile on his face as he sighed before ruffling Shinichi's hair once more. Shinichi scowled at the action, he was not a child and did not warrant such an action.

"If you could have a redo, would you still avoid Kaito-kun? Or would you reveal to him the truth?" His father's eyes bore into him. "Or more specifically, are you willing to hurt both Kaito-kun and yourself again?"

"I don't know 'tou-san…" Shinichi stared at his knees. "I...don't want to hurt him, I don't want us to hurt each other. But…"

"The truth can hurt, but at the same time can heal wounds." His father gave an encouraging squeeze of his hands before standing up. "Your mother should have everything set up in the dining room by now. Why don't you go wash up a bit?" He offered an encouraging smile before leaving Shinichi to sit alone in the library.

Shinichi surveyed the library, eyes landing on the fallen book opening on the page with the slightly pressed Alstroemeria and Mimosa, the former with the general meaning of friendship and devotion, the latter for sensitivity and, Shinichi had to blush at the thought of the second meaning of secret love.

'I know he has strong feelings for Shiina, but could it really extend to me... _if_ he were to know we're one and the same…' Shinichi picked up the book carefully, thankful that none of the other flowers slipped out. He rearranged the two flowers before closing the cover. 'Could I tell him then...the truth?'

 **-TBC-**


	25. Two sides of a coin

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: I nearly had a big BIG plot hole here, had to fill it up hastily. And more dove interaction since a commenter has mentioned the adorableness of those fluffy assistants.

* * *

 **Ch21: Two sides of a coin**

Kaito refrained himself from stomping hard onto the wooden floor. He paid very little mind as he walked down the dark corridor, a similar reflection to his current emotions, passed the long staircase, and automatically pulled on his shoes. He crossed the threshold to the front gardens as the clouds began to gather overhead. The pair of Kudo parents greeted him as he was about to enter Jii's car who just returned after the trip back to the hospital, asking about the detective's wellbeing. Kaito muttered a generic greeting alongside with equally generic words of health before asking Jii to speedily return to Ekoda where normalcy (or relative normalcy) reigned. Throughout the journey, Jii cast worried glances at the back mirror but never spoke or asked Kaito.

"Thanks for the lift Jii-chan." Kaito remembered to thank him for his service. After all, the elderly man took the time from his shop to come pick him up and drive them all the way to Beika and back.

"Not a problem Bocchama. Though…" He glanced up at Kaito's face, possibly noticing the various cracks and fractures in his Poker Face. "Are you well?"

"I'll be fine after a good night's sleep. Just...exhaustion in general." He sighed, slumping his shoulders. "I'll probably text you in a couple of days, or maybe drop by the Blue Parrot, to finalise a heist or something. Must keep _them_ on their toes."

"Alright Bocchama. Take care of yourself." At least the elderly man knew when to ask and when to stay silent, giving Kaito the much needed peace to sort out some of his thoughts.

Kaito was lucky as he crossed the front gardens as Aoko did not seem to be home (else she would have called out to him). He realised he had been neglecting her lately in favour of spending more time with Irie Shiina. Entering the silent house, Kaito wondered where his mother was. He called out the customary "I'm back" on the off-chance that she would be home.

Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately in today's case) his mother was no where to be seen. He had hoped that he might find a confident in her today.

His feet felt heavy as he dragged himself up the stairs, and immediately collapsed onto his bed. Staring at the large poster of his father, he wished that the old man was still alive to at least offer some sort of advice. Instead, several of his doves somehow seemed to have sensed his distress and flew over to rest by his pillows, gently nudging at his cheeks.

"Hey." He called out weakly, fingers stretching to stroke the belly feathers of the nearest dove. She cooed, much like how a cat would purr in satisfaction. "Nice to know at least I'm appreciated by you."

The dove tipped her head to the side as though understanding Kaito's words. Though he did not doubt that they possibly did understand the human language, after all his doves were a smart lot.

"It's nothing really, just perhaps confused that's all." He sat up, leaning against the head of the bed as he cradled the bird in his palms. He let his thumbs glide over the back along the spine. "I just don't understand how he could do something like that...lying about...feelings…" Although to be honest, Kaito himself have been lying about his feelings towards Aoko. And now, to be on the receiving end of such an action, he could empathise with Aoko's sudden choice of Hakuba as a possible partner.

"I thought we had a connection." He stared up at the white ceiling, noticing a dark splotch of soot where one of his tricks managed to backfire. His mother had laughed instead of becoming angry, stating that since it was Kaito's room, he would have to live with a permanent stain. "I thought she'd, he'd, feel the same." Pronouns were difficult as he still referred that one-time, temporary, acquaintance Irie Shiina as female rather than the male underneath that disguise.

The dove cooed again, this time sounding longer and harder.

"You're telling me I'm an idiot to assume something like that right?" The dove cooed again, this time even sounding more harsh. "Or are you telling me I shouldn't be so down because of a possible rejection?" Another coo, though this time it was accompanied with a peck on his palm. "Hey!"

The dove puffed out her feather, ruffled her wings, and took flight to settle into his hair.

"You better not be thinking about doing something nasty I tell you." Kaito poked at his feathered companion. He was rewarded with a peck on his head instead. "Oi!" Several more pecks and somehow Kaito feels as though his dove was telling him to actually use his head.

"I am using my head." That seemed to have stopped her actions. "But I'm not a detective and would never be one, so I wouldn't know what they'll be thinking." It gave him an idea.

On Monday morning, Kaito left the house bright and early, earlier that he normally does during a school day and foregoing his breakfast with the Nakamoris. He walked down unfamiliar paths and ended up in the front gate of the Hakuba mansion. Waiting was kept short as no sooner had Kaito settled in leaning against the concrete pillar, the iron gates opened.

"What the?! What are you doing _here_ Kuroba!" Startled, Hakuba retreated slightly, using the iron gates as some sort of a barrier.

"You're a detective." Kaito did not move from his position, staring up in the sky instead of making eye contact.

"Yes. And?" Finally, Hakuba eased away from the gate and approached the lounging magician.

"You think like a detective." His hands absentmindedly shuffled a deck of cards that appeared out of no where.

"I would hope so. Are you getting somewhere with this?" He closed the gate and waited for a split second before moving in the general direction of where school would be.

"You _know_ about other detectives' logic." Kaito followed behind Hakuba, eyes boring into the blond detective's back.

"Kuroba, just spit it out. What do you want." Irritated, Hakuba turned around with hands on his hips.

"Why would a detective purposefully lie about things?" Kaito blurted out as he walked passed Hakuba, who seemed to have been stunned by Kaito's forthrightness.

It took a moment for the blond to recover but soon, he was walking beside Kaito like an old friend would. Perhaps the blond was taking pity on Kaito's sense of dejectedness that he was projecting, or perhaps he was feeling gracious to answer. Either way, Kaito was at least somewhat relieved that the blond had continued the conversation. "Well, there are many reasons. For one, it could be for integrity like not leaking evidence to suspects."

"That's not lying." Kaito pointed out, in his mind it was an act of prevention rather than intentional lying.

"No, that's omission, a form of lying. But for a detective, that is a lie all the same."

"Hm…" Kaito hummed, thinking whether it was possible for the detective to lie about another identity. But it was strange for the detective to take on the identity for so long, unless it was for undercover. "What other reasons are there?"

"Then there is for protection. Not for the detective mind you, but to protect others."

"Not for himself then?" It did sound like something the detective would do. However, that particular reason left a rather bitter taste in Kaito's mouth.

"A detective rarely lies for themselves, it's always to help or protect somebody else. Whether it is a physical protection or just protecting the person from harmful comments, sometimes even sadness, that is when a detective would likely to lie. However, I personally would just be honest about such things. It is better to hear the truth than a lie after all."

"Yes, you seem to lack tact." Kaito managed to squeeze in an insult despite the relative camaraderie currently between them. Kaito felt a small sense of guilt in the bottom of his heart, gnawing gradually, as he remembered all the harsh words he laid against a certain blue-eyed detective. If he was lying in order to protect someone, it made Kaito look as though he was petty.

Hakuba shrugged, probably having heard it all too often.

"I know I'm blunt, it doesn't bother me." With a bland voice, he walked through the school gates. Many of their fellow classmates stared and instantly stilled in their mid-action. The students in the shoe lockers quickly made way for the entering pair, giving them an extremely wide berth.

"You should, you know. People's opinion matter." Kaito took the pair of white shoes from his locker. "You detectives often have to face the public, so image matters."

"Not if you're good at your job. Take Kudo-kun for example, he's known in the Police Force to be the Saviour and Modern Day Holmes. It's widely known he has quite an ego as well as his ability to see through _any_ and _all_ lies. Including any hidden identity." Hakuba let out a shark-like grin. "You know, maybe next time I can introduce you to him. I'm sure both of you will find the meeting _entertaining_."

At the mention of the name, Kaito held back a small wince. "You know him?"

"I ran into him a couple of times in HQ; once when I was visiting my father, several more as part of a consultant for homicide investigations, and the single rare time when he helped with a heist notice." By now, the silence in the halls was deafening as none of the students dared to breath in their proximity.

"Wait a second, _you_ need a second opinion for a heist note?" Kaito did a double take, all thoughts concerning the Great Detective suddenly thrown out the window when he heard Hakuba needed additional help. He wondered which heist it was that required the Great Detective's input and how come he never saw much of the Great Detective's involvement.

" _I_ didn't need a second opinion, but the client wanted a second opinion. Both of our deductions coincided so we were both correct." Hakuba settled his bag on his table before turning to Kaito with a crooked eyebrow. "Now, as much as I've appreciated this heart-to-heart talk, I need to wonder whether I should be expecting you to do sudden drop -bys every morning or will you be going back to your usual stalking and pranking. Whilst I don't care much, I believe you're driving many of our fellow classmates to the point of insanity with your currently quite cordial manner of interaction with me."

"Oh, so that's why they're on edge." Kaito mocked surprise understanding, though he knew all along they were all weary of when Kaito will unleash his pranking nature. "And if you're so concerned and missing my pranks, why didn't you say so earlier Hakuba?" A cheshire grin later, the classroom filled with multicoloured smoke flavoured with a sweet smell and Hakuba's hair turned a bubblegum pink whilst the clothes of his classmates were in various shades of the rainbow. Kaito popped a bag of candy in existence, opening the plastic package and tucking in to the colourful sweet. "Want one? It matches your hair."

"No thanks Kuroba." A sense of relief rushed over everyone in the room (including Hakuba) for the class magician prankster has finally returned to his normal self.

While his talk with Hakuba was quite enlightening, shedding some light as to why a detective will lie, it still did not answer the question of why that particular detective would lie. For what purpose and for whose protection is he lying. He breezed through the morning classes with only puffs of smoke erupting at the teacher's random words (anything to keep his fellow students awake during class and for his own entertainment when one of the falls down from their seat). Lunch had Aoko dragging him to the rooftop, saturating their time for food with aimless chatter and a mop chase. For the afternoon class, Kaito kept relatively quiet and only shuffling his cards as he paid half an ear towards the literature being read (not that the teacher was complaining, a distracted Kaito was a safe Kaito in their opinions). Kaito decided to walk home with Aoko in the afternoon instead of tagging behind Hakuba and nagging him to answer more of his questions.

"Kaito? Why are you not talking to Aoko?" She sounded sad as they passed by a bakery. "Kaito left early this morning and Aoko had been waiting and waiting…"

"Ah, sorry Aoko. There was something I had to do this morning." He scratched the back of his neck, turning his head away to avoid the teary eyes of his childhood friend.

"With Hakuba-kun?" Her voice wavered.

"It doesn't mean anything!" He needed to clarify, in case Aoko had some strange idea that Kaito might be attracted to the annoying blond detective.

"Aoko hasn't even said anything yet. But at least Kaito is making good with Hakuba-kun." She hid a small giggle with her fist, turning her head slightly for the sake of Kaito's pride.

"Are you planning to do anything yet? About this _situation_ with Hakuba?" Aoko blushed profusely. Kaito took it as a prompt for encouragement. "Come on Aoko, have a little bit of courage and confess already. Sure I know with our final years there'll be definitely a lot of prep work, but you can't really put your life on hold."

"Like what you're doing? Isn't Kaito putting his life on hold at the moment?" Aoko was strangely observant about him.

"What do you mean?" Kaito faked ignorance but he can easily detect where the conversation is going. He did not mean to worry his childhood friend but with all his lies piling up, it was difficult not to put his life on hold.

"Aoko means that Kaito haven't been looking to settle down so to speak, always with the prank and hair-pulling…"

"I never pulled your hair!" He argued, interrupting Aoko mid-sentence.

"So Kaito is admitting that Kaito likes Aoko at one time then?" Kaito murmured incoherent sounds of grumbling.

Kaito could not believe how manipulative his childhood friend has become. The normally shy and reserved (albeit slightly violent when handed a mop and somewhat childish at most time) friend had turned too much like a detective on a blood trail for his liking.

"Aoko is concerned. Kaito never showed interest in anyone much until around two months ago when Kaito stopped coming over for dinner and breakfast. When Aoko knocks on Kaito's door, no one answers but then Kaito suddenly called Aoko to ask about what Kaito could do for Irie-chan and Aoko was really happy that Kaito found someone he liked." Aoko reached out to Kaito and took his hands. "But then, Kaito suddenly changed when school started. Suddenly became more contemplative and less prank-prone. Aoko was happy for a split second, thinking that Kaito had finally settled down. That was until today. Kaito suddenly walking to school with Hakuba-kun is not normal Kaito behaviour."

"Aoko…" Kaito tries to think of some excuse to spout off but his mind came up blank.

"Let Aoko finish." She warned, Kaito immediately closed his mouth. They were nearing their house by now. "Aoko feels Kaito seemed to have broken up with Irie-chan. If so, Aoko wants to let Kaito know that Aoko is here to lend a shoulder, or a female's perspective. Aoko is sure that Kaito can work out whatever he had done to anger Irie-chan and salvage the relationship."

"But what if it wasn't my fault?" They stopped in front of the Nakamori gates. "What if, it was me who felt angry and decided to call everything off?"

"Aoko doesn't think it would be the case. If it were, Kaito would not look so down for the whole day today." Aoko poked Kaito in the cheeks, "Kaito's smile is not like the ones he gave on a daily basis. Today's smile is forced."

"When did you become so observant?" Kaito pulled away the finger. "Where's the klutzy, slow childhood friend that I've known since a little kid?"

"She grew up of course. Aoko can't always turn a blind eye to everything." She flicked at his forehead and Kaito did not bother to evade the action. "Aoko can see a lot of things but rarely expresses them. After all, not everything needs to be said and words can be both harmful and harmless depending on how they are stringed together."

"That is...strangely profound coming from you." Kaito knit his brow. "Why have you never showed such a caring side towards me before?"

"Because Kaito is BaKaito and words like that are generally not needed to deal with a Baka. But now, Kaito is not BaKaito but Kaito so Aoko felt something must be said." She made it sound like it should all make some sort of sense to Kaito but in fact, it left Kaito more confused than before. "Anyways, Aoko needs to go back to pick up a change of clothes for 'tou-san. He's been drafted by another task force temporarily, something to do with art trafficking." She waved goodbye, leaving a lost and confused Kaito standing just outside of the gates.

"O...k...then…" Shaking of the remnant of confusion, Kaito head back into his own home. He called out the customary "I'm back" to which his mother answered "Welcome home Sweety."

Kaito followed where the sound came from and found his mother lounging on the sofa with a book and a warm cup of tea. "How was school?"

"The usual." Kaito shrugged out of his jacket, letting it drape on the back of an empty chair before going over to give his mother a hug. "Have you been home the whole day?"

"Of course, where else would I be? And I noticed you leaving extremely early this morning as well. What's the occasion?" There was concern laced into her voice even as her face showed only amusement.

"Nothing much, just...wanting a second opinion I guess." He flopped down on the empty seat next to his mother.

"And you'd rather talk with someone else rather than your own mother?" She tsked, "but I can probably guess what has you in such a mood though."

"Am I that transparent?" Kaito took up a nearby photo frame, one that held a family photo from before his father had been murdered. The glass reflection showed nothing that Kaito could deem as odd on his face. He might have a slight dark circle underneath his eyes but that was due to the constant lack of sleep rather than the single night of staying up.

"I'm your mother. I _know_ these things."

"What else do you know then?" Kaito challenged, placing the frame back to its original spot. "You're sounding like a detective you know. And here I thought we were a family of thieves."

His mother laughed and stood to ruffle his hair. "Carry on like that and I'll make you fish for dinner tonight."

"Only joking. But really, there's nothing bothering me much. Only…" Kaito struggled how to word it without giving too much away. It was not that he was embarrassed to admit he had been fooled by a simple disguise (and it had been simple now that Kaito had time to reflect upon it. It was only a wig, makeup, and a change of clothing. No prosthetics had been involved, nor were there any facial reconstruction). But Kaito was more concerned about the reason for the detective wanting to keep Irie Shiina a secret. It must be something big for the detective to lie for such a long time. "I was just thinking why a detective would lie."

"Oh?" His mother did not sound surprise at all. "What makes you say that?"

"I encountered a detective a...few (?) days ago. He pretended to be someone else whilst we had been interacting. When I went to confront him, he did not bother to defend himself and took all the words I said..." He was trying to be vague but he knew his mother knew what he was trying to say. On second thought, there was a high chance that his mother knew the reason why the detective lied, after all the clothes Irie Shiina had worn were ones designed and made by his mother. He should have taken that hint long ago and should have realised the real identity of Irie Shiina seeing as his mother was prominent for her works in creating transgender clothing.

"Out of rage no doubt." His mother thwacked him on the back of his head. "You're sometimes too oblivious about hidden motives."

"'Kaa-san!" Kaito pushed his mother away. "That's manhandling!"

"No, that's just me trying to put some sense back into you." She sunk back into her seat. "Have you ever wondered why he lied?"

"How'd you...? You know what, nevermind." He stood up to leave but a glare from his mother instantly made him sit back down. Kaito has yet to answer her question. "I was told he might be lying to protect someone."

"And? What else have you found out?" She looked at him expectantly. It seems she already knew that answer but was withholding it from Kaito.

"My guess would be to spare someone of the emotional backlash. Otherwise such an elaborate lie would not be sustained for such a long time." At least that was a conclusion he was comfortable with. But his heart sank when he tries to figure out who it was the detective was trying to protect. 'Why does my heart feel pain?' He wondered.

"Emotional pain is something that is very hard to avoid and often comes hand-in-hand with the truth. Though emotional pain could be overcome if both parties reach an understanding." She stood up to stretch before moving out of the lounge, leaving Kaito once again in silence.

Thinking that his mother was onto something, Kaito whistled to call down one of his birds. He equipped her with a small recording device and strict instructions to follow a certain detective around.

"Make sure he stays safe and you keep yourself hidden alright?" He brought the dove to the nearest window. "Remember if anything strange happened, come back immediately."

She cooed, rubbing her head against his palm before taking off with a strong flap of her wings. Kaito watched his white feathered friend until she disappeared into the skies beyond, suddenly feeling a lot lighter now that he could make sure the detective was somehow safe.

"I'd be a lot happier if he actually told me the reason for Irie Shiina rather than having me do this much legwork…"

Several days later, during the weekend, Kaito viewed the video from the laptop set up in the kitchen table as he ate lunch. His mother did not complain, rather she let Kaito indulge in his work as she flitted about the kitchens, cleaning the surface and making pastries for some unfathomable reason. Kaito watched the screen with rapt attention as he saw how the detective stumbled down the stairs. He winced in time with the detective as his backside hit one of the steps. He saw how his detective sometimes stared into nothing at the same time seemingly having decipher the secrets of the universe and found the secrets to be disappointing. But still, with all these insights into the detective, Kaito could not understand why he would lie about his disguise and why did he not reveal himself earlier.

His mother suddenly thwacked him on the forehead with a spatula, thankfully still clean. "When I say you were oblivious to hidden emotions, I did not mean you have to scrutinize their every move. Sometimes we find the answers in ourselves." She produced a small handheld mirror from her pockets and set it in front of Kaito. He had to wonder what his mother was trying to say. "Why did you lie to Aoko-chan about KID?"

"Because it's dangerous and it's something that would only worry her." He stated matter-of-factly, staring at his own reflection. There was dullness in his eyes that he finally took note of, it lacked the usual sparkle and he wondered when that change occurred. Not wanting to stare at his own face any longer, he turned away to look up at his mother.

"But if the danger has passed? Would you tell Aoko-chan about KID? About everything that you've done and all the times KID managed to pull her father away from her?" His mother used the spatula again to direct his face so he would be looking into the mirror once more.

"No! Of course not! That's just tasteless of me to do something like that!" Kaito's reaction was immediate. No matter whether Pandora was found or not, or if Snake's organisation has been brought down or not. KID was one secret he would be bringing to the grave with him.

"Why's that?"His mother's prompt were quickly becoming more annoying than informative. However, there was care in the tone, the soft care that Kaito remember hearing a long time ago. It was a tone parents reserved for their children to bring them to an understanding.

"Because it'll only cause her pain. I know how much she wanted her father to stay with her but KID still pulled him away. And I care about…-" Kaito finally came to the realisation why the detective would lie. "Because he cared…" He whispered mostly to himself but he was sure his mother heard it just as clearly.

Chikage smiled, downright grin widely, and she turned back to her bowl with the spatula in hand, letting Kaito come to terms with this new realisation and allowing him time to come up with a plan. Though that is not to say Chikage would not be helping out her son. First she had a few calls to make. But after the cookies, she knew how much Kaito loved her triple chocolate cookies. And he would need them for when the guilt of what he has done had set its claws into his mind.

 **-TBC-**


	26. Barhopping

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: This interlude happened after Ch20/21, a result from a comment of wanting to know what Yuusaku would do (I actually have the whole plotline written so that's why there's so many interludes...). It's another 2-parter.

* * *

 **Interlude (4a): Barhopping**

Yuusaku sat at his desk, staring at the blank sheet of paper in front of him. He did not have an urge to pen down another chapter of his novel, just doing it for the sake of having a distraction, despite his editors begging him to do so now that the deadline was coming up. There were other things in his mind, specifically his son who had not shed a single tear since the age of seven (first time round) until now. Unfortunately, he was also reluctant to act upon the need for vengeance as the person who dealt his son this emotional blow was the son of his good friend. Tapping the end of the pen on the desk, he allowed the staccato to echo inside the study.

'Surely there must be some way to fix this.' He thought to himself, slowly positioning his pen on the first blank square on the paper. With neat writing, he began the title of chapter as his mind wandered.

Yuusaku knew that although his son looked strong enough to withstand the harshest of wind, he was quite sensitive on the inside. Despite Shinichi having forged an iron strong will and a near impenetrable mask of indifference, there were always parts of him that were more sensitive towards the change in people's emotion, hence he could read people so easily. However, it was often this sensitivity that made Shinichi draw back onto himself, to stop feeling other's pain and emotion. But once he could trust someone, to expose himself to another, Shinichi would have given his all towards this person. In this case, it was Kuroba Kaito. And yet, the boy managed to unintentionally trample on them.

"Yuu-chan?" Yukiko peeked into the study with a worrying frown.

"Something wrong Yukiko?" Deliberately, Yuusaku placed his pen down.

"Shin-chan is running a high fever again…" The unheard ' _it's probably due to stress_ ' was unsaid. "I'm going out to grab some orange juice, he always crave for it afterwards."

"Alright, I'll keep an eye on him." Nodding, he walked Yukiko to the door before heading upstairs to check on his son. Sure enough, Shinichi was curled on the bed, pulling in the blankets to form some form of physical defence around himself.

'I should probably drive home the point.' Yuusaku sighed and shook his head. 'Even if it was not intentional, he had hurt Shinichi.' He fingered his mobile as he walked down the steps, wondering if it was an abuse of power to call up some favours. In the end, he decided to do the work himself and set off with a light trench coat, a pair of dark glasses, and a hat as disguise as he climbed into the car.

A quick drive under the darkness of the night, he arrived in front of a commercial building. The neon sign told passer-by that the steps next to it led to a billiard hall called Blue Parrot. Yuusaku knew this was the haunt of his old friend, owned by said friend's assistant, and he hoped that it had also become the favourite of said friend's son.

The bell on the door tingled as Yuusaku walked in, strangely enough not drawing any attention for a majority was focused on the game. The elderly man behind the counter looked up with recognition in his eye before beckoning Yuusaku to sit by the bar. Nodding back, Yuusaku picked his way through the half-filled tables.

"Welcome." The inviting tone was accompanied with a warm wet towel set next to a cardboard coaster. "The usual?"

"You still remembered after all these years?" Yuusaku took the towel in his hand as he watched the old man flitted about, pulling out a pair of glasses and a square bottle from behind the counter. Some knocking about, the man produced glasses filled with an amber liquid and a circular ice ball submerged half way.

"With the number of glasses you and Toichi-sama chugged back, it's hard for this old bag of bones to forget." They both lifted their glasses.

"To old times." The same words were echoed before a clink of their drinks, each mulling at the thought of the good-old-days.

"Now, what brings you to my cozy place tonight? I haven't seen you for a long time. A decade perhaps." If Yuusaku had not known any better, he would have thought the older man was holding a grudge.

"I'm curious on how the Kuroba family is right now. I know Yukiko keeps in touch with Chikage but what about her son?" The enquiry was casual enough not to raise any alarms. That has always been a game he played with Toichi, him knowing enough but never voicing it to see who would break the secret first.

"I'm sure you know that Chikage-sama has been travelling then, though she's back in Japan now for a short period. As for Kaito-bocchama, he's getting ready for university exams."

"He's in his final year isn't he." Yuusaku stated with another sip of his drink. "Same with Shinichi."

"It really is a shame they do not know each other better…" The elderly was quickly summoned by another patron and he bowed apologetically with the implied message of willing to continue this after he filled the order.

"Well, they had their chance this afternoon." Yuusaku grumbled as he did a quick survey of his surrounding to fill up his time. There were several interesting individuals inside the room, two by the billiard table seemingly engrossed in the game, and another female who seemed to be pining over a man seated on the opposite end of the room.

"Sorry about that, now where were we?"

"About Kaito-kun and Shinichi."

"Ah, right. The pair of them. They could have been close, if they lived closer and was more opened to each other. Why, they could be a replica of Toichi-sama and yourself."

"Is that so…" Yuusaku mulled over the man's observation.

"Surely you must see the similarities between them, both seems to be constantly burdened by life, both wanting someone to share the burden with but is afraid of what the burden might do to the other." There was a pregnant pause between the next phrase, "and both wanted to bring happiness to the other."

"Is that what you see?" Curiosity became more prevalent than need for information and Yuusaku began to pursue the line of questioning to sate his thirst rather than to use the information.

"I might not know what happened or how they met beforehand, but from what happened this afternoon, it was clear for everyone else to see Kaito-bocchama cared about Shinichi-kun." He began detailing about the drive between the hospital and back towards Ekoda, commenting on how Kaito had became extremely distracted on the returning trip and constantly looked out of the window searching for _something_.

"Then both must be blind to each other's effort." Yuusaku commented at the end of the tale.

"They do say love is blind." The man lifted his glasses up again in a toast, Yuusaku mirrored the same gesture before draining the rest of the liquid. Laying down a bill, even as the elderly man tries to refuse the payment, Yuusaku went back out into the chilly streets now armed with more information. He felt slightly better, but not by much, after hearing a third opinion.

Despite being inebriated, Yuusaku drove down the quiet streets towards a residential district. He parked the car underneath a large tree, hidden in the shadows, and watched the lights go off on his targeted house. He sent out a quick message to his editors, telling them the next installment would be late, and set his alarm clock to ring in the early hours of the morning. It had been some time since he last returned back to his detective roots but tailing someone was as easy to him as writing his novel.

'Then again, the purpose of this tailing is not so much of gathering information…' Yuusaku admitted to himself. 'It's more for determining a character and find the most opportune moment.'

 **-TBC-**


	27. Big Brother

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: This interlude happened after Ch20/21 and sometime after the previous Interlude. Someone mentioned they want to sic Ai-chan on Kai-chan...

* * *

 **Interlude (4b): Big Brother**

Kaito had been feeling tense ever since he stepped out of the house in the morning. There was a sense of unease in the air. But no matter how hard he look, he could not pinpoint the sensation. Even his classmates seemed to have picked up on his unease and shuffled several inches away from him. During lunch, Kaito felt a sudden chill down his spine and had to abandon his lunch partway much to Aoko's surprise. The girl asked with concern whether Kaito was feeling alright but Kaito just waved it off. Even Hakuba looked worried for him and that should have alerted Kaito to something wrong.

Instead of going straight home after school, Kaito lingered in the shopping district, hoping to lose the strange feeling. But no matter how many shops he went into, how many changes of disguise he used to hide himself, there was still the chilled feeling. As the sun lowered itself into the horizon, Kaito knew he could not put off returning home and trudged back using a scarcely used route. Thankfully, the chilled sensation was gone once he started on his journey, though it could be because the route lacked any sort of foot traffic or cover. However, once he arrived at the front gates, the chilled sensation was back again, this time with force.

"I'm back." He called out tiredly, knowing his mother was busy tottering around in the kitchen.

"Welcome back sweety." She poked her head out of the door frame. "Is something wrong?"

"I think...it might be best for you to avoid leaving the house." Kaito knew he sounded ridiculous but it was better to be safe than sorry, especially since his detective was hurt only weeks ago.

"Were you followed?" Foregoing stealth and secrecy, she opened the front door and peered out. The sun had already set by that time, only revealing a rather empty and dark street.

"I'm not sure...I'd like to think not but I know better than to assume." He shrugged out of his shoes and jacket. Strangely enough, his mother lingered at the opened doors. "'Kaa-san?"

His mother stayed silent for several seconds longer, eyes glued to the dark exterior. When she finally closed the door, her face met Kaito with an overly amused smile. "Well, it'll serve as good practice for you then." She nodded to herself, leaving a confused Kaito by the staircase.

The feeling of unease continued for a full week, following Kaito everywhere. It had reached a point that Kaito would turn back every other step just to try and spot his possible pursuer.

"Kaito, you're becoming paranoid." Aoko commented during lunch one day. "You've been constantly jumping at shadows for no reason at all. Is someone bothering you Kaito?"

"Huh? What?" Kaito would not admit he was losing his mind (and possibly sleep) over this matter. The chilling sensation was still following him and it had no indication of stopping (nor reducing in intensity). He took the time to stare into the distance once more, trying to spot anything out of place. There were only buildings off in the distance, nothing special or eye catching.

"Aoko is saying Kaito is paranoid and Kaito better have a good reason for it." She nudged at Kaito's hand holding the bread.

"It's probably nothing." Kaito tries to make it as convincing as possible. And even though Aoko looked like she was not buying into the lie, she let the topic go. He silently thanked her for her consideration, maybe he would tone down on rousing her anger for the next few days as thanks.

In the end, Kaito should have expected it when he took the scarcely used route back home. He should know better that even though he did not have the same chilly feeling when walking down here, it would not have lasted. When the shadow jumped at him, Kaito only managed to stumble backwards. He had not brought his card gun and his only means of defence were the smoke pellets he always carried in his uniform jacket. Kaito retrieved the pallets but before he could throw them down to create a smoke screen, his assaulter already had him in a strong grip. With his hands held behind his back, Kaito squirmed to hopefully break out of the hold. However, another hand came up to his mouth and nose in an attempt to smother him. He instantly recognised the sweet smelling smell on the white cotton and tried to hold out for as long as he could. Unfortunately, he did not account for the prick in his elbow and Kaito instantly knew he was injected with something. He mentally swore before succumbing to darkness.

Kaito's mind was still fuzzy when he regained consciousness. He kept his eyes shut and breathing even to give off the sense of still being out of it and hoping that it would lower his captor's guard. Straining his ears, he heard a muffled conversation.

"Thank's for your help." Said the male-sounding voice.

"It's no problem. It's not often I can stretch my intellect to produce something harmless like this." Strangely enough, this voice sounded all too young, and Kaito recognised some of the tone. "After all, you did bring me a new guinea pig to try these."

"How long until he wakes up?" Asked the first voice.

"Anytime now actually. You might want to head back in to make sure." The silence was broken with the soft click of heels. Kaito knew his time was up and began his struggle out of the bonds. Unfortunately, he realised he was quite naked, only wearing his underwear, and handcuffed to the armrest of the chair he was sitting on. A tug at his wrist told Kaito he was cuffed a bit too snuggly to allow for other means of escaping from the metallic bonds.

"Ah good. You're awake." The man stalked into the room with the open door behind him, lighting the man from the back. Kaito could spot the white face mask, quite scary with its wide open mouth in sadistic eternal amusement. The thick black cloak covered any and all physical traits of the man, making it difficult for Kaito to read.

"Were you the one who tailed me?" It was no use trying to be scared in this situation, he had been exposed to too many dangers to know fear was useless when trying to escape. Instead, he confronted the man with his best angered face. "Why were you tailing me? What were you hoping to gain? Were you trying to dig up something?"

"Does it matter whether or not I know of you darkest secret? Like the colours of your feathers, or whether you hold a certain female classmate as someone important?" He taunted, stalking closer towards Kaito. "Or even your constant worry about a certain injured boy who happened to be in possession of some rather striking sapphire eyes."

He tried to sink further into the chair, the aura around the man was menacing and suffocating. However, as the words sink into Kaito, so did fear.

"Who are you?!" He growled menacingly, foregoing his Poker Face. Clearly, this man knew too much.

"Someone with vested interest in the person with sapphire eyes, the boy that you seemed to care about but so carelessly tossed away."

"Don't you dare harm a single hair on him!" Kaito renewed his struggle, hoping that his strength could break the armrest away from the chair. This man was a danger, not only to him but to the injured detective as well. Kaito needed to find some way to either overpower him and escape in order to protect the detective. Unfortunately, the chair held strong and the only thing Kaito received from it were painful wrists. "You won't get away with this!"

"Don't struggle." The man circled Kaito like a shark in the water before returning to stand in front of him. "I do hope you'll enjoy your stay here." There was a hissing noise coming from somewhere inside the room and Kaito knew gas was being pumped in.

Within moments, even with Kaito's resistance towards anesthesia, Kaito fell unconscious again. The next time he woke up, he was still strapped to the chair, though this time there was a key hanging from the ceiling beyond reach of his current position. The glittering key was taunting him with freedom. Strange enough, one of his handcuffs were undone during his forced nap and Kaito stretched to reach for the key. His fingers just barely reached the key itself and with some flexibility, Kaito managed to tug at it. Unfortunately, the string seemed to have triggered something as there was a loud _swoosh_. Looking up, Kaito watched water being poured onto his person, drenching him and obstructing his sight. In the confusion, his hand slipped and the key fell with a _splash_.

Kaito frowned, a floor should not go _splash_ when something fell on it. Glancing down he saw his chair was actually suspended inside a shallow kiddy pool filled with fishes swimming about. Various types of fishes were drawn onto the bottom of the pool, staring straight up at Kaito, even the water felt slimy and thick when Kaito tries to scramble back onto his seat. The only good thing was he saw a key within reach, the bad thing was that it was stuck on a swimming fish (though Kaito had to wonder how it became stuck). Cursing, now that he managed to compartmentalise his fear, he hesitantly reached out towards the fish only for it to swim away, circling between the legs of the chair. Kaito groaned and bemoaned at the unfairness of the world.

Several eternity later, Kaito managed to take hold of the fish even with the grimace, and found that it was a mechanical fish designed to look and act life-like (it had even flapped about as Kaito's finger closed around the rather hard body). Taking the key, he managed to unlock himself and since he knew these were fake, his fear had subsided substantially to allow him to trudge through the liquid (Kaito still had to question whether they were actually water). Quick work on the room's lock and Kaito was out, albeit still naked. Strangely,his own clothes were set just outside the door as though his captors expected his escape. Cautious, he carefully took the pile in his hand and shook it out, even went as far as giving it a quick dunk in the liquid to wash off possible powders before donning them on. He hated the feeling of the cloth sticking to his skin but he needed to wear something in order to escape.

The subsequent escape was absurdly easy, only requiring Kaito to unlock another door and he was out. Daylight glared into his eyes when he turned back and saw he had been held at a warehouse by the bay. He recognised the location and after rummaging through his pocket, he found he had his transport passes and took the early train back to Ekoda.

He managed to sneak back into the house without his mother noticing and his first order of business when he arrived back home was a nice hot bath. Turning on the shower, he let the water rain down on his skin. He gave himself a thorough cleaning, emerging from a steamy bathroom nearly half an hour later clad in soft towel robes. Seeing as it was the weekend, Kaito decided to sleep for a while, at least until lunch.

When he woke up, he felt extremely refreshed, and grabbed a new change of clothing. Looking at the time, he hoped his mother had left lunch for him, and went down to the dining room. There were sounds of conversation from the kitchen area.

"Good afternoon 'kaa-san." He greeted as he entered with a smile. Only to be greeted in return by echoing laughter. He glanced over at the other end of the table to find the pair of elder Kudo sitting casually. "Is something wrong?"

"You haven't looked at the mirror have you?" His mother tries to smother out the giggle.

"Uh...no?" Kaito tries to look for a reflective surface nearby, which happened to be one of the pots in the drying rack. Picking it up, he peered at the distorted reflection. There was a flash of light before his eyes.

Kaito only saw black, white and pink from the surface, not able to make out any detail. However, it was enough to make his eyes widen. Quickly he dashed to the ground floor washroom, manhandling the door as he wrenched it out of its position, earning him a quick scold from his mother to refrain from breaking things.

The mirror reflection showed Kaito to look like a strange panda with bubblegum pink hair. His skin was white, exceptionally white, as white as the powder Geisha's put on their face. Around his eyes were black and blue smudges, same with the nose. His hands looked as though it was gloved in black and pulling up the sleeve reveal black and white irregular stripes. Heck, Kaito even dared to peer into his shirt to find his whole body to be in similar fashion. Running up the stairs, he quickly stripped down and switched on the showers, hoping to wash off the colour. Only it did not come off. Hot water turned him from monochrome to green and orange, cold water turned him to red and blue, soap made even a larger mess by mixing the colours into a vomit-like pattern. His hair changed colour every time he used a different shampoo, from bubblegum pink to danger-sign red, then fluorescent green, and lastly highlighter yellow. It had taken nearly three hours for Kaito to figure out the combination of soap, shampoo, and body lotion to return him normal. Though Kaito still saw small tinges of green and blue on his skin, and possibly pale blond-ish yellow in several strands of hair.

"What have I done to deserve this." He fell flat back onto the bed, hungry and tired. He did not want to move but only want to sleep even when his mother came up with a tray of food.

 **-TBC-**


	28. The cat's out of the bag

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: Another chapter without Kai-Shin interaction. But it's vital to the story so bare with interactions with other members of the cast.

* * *

 **Ch22: The cat's out of the bag (and the canary is going to be eaten)**

Shinichi's days were monotonous; waking up early in the morning before his alarm even buzzed with cold sweat beading down his forehead because of the most recent bout of nightmare (involving a pair of violet eyes in various stages of disgust and anger), awkwardly readying for school as he balanced himself on the crutch as he tries to go about his morning rituals, fixing up an instant cup of coffee accompanied with plain toast that tasted more like styrofoam than actual bread (it was at least safer than sampling the cooking from either of his parents in the morning, what _looks_ like breakfast may not actually _taste_ like breakfast because of their tendency to want to experiment with flavours), taking only the minimum number of pills and foregoing all other pain relieving agents before inching his way to where he met up with Ran as they walk to school (with Ran mothering him the whole journey), sitting through mind-numbing classes all the while trying to stave off his droopy eyelids before his trip returning home (again with Ran mothering him and more often than not, staying with him until dusk before returning home to fix dinner).

On one particular afternoon, Ran dragged Shinichi up towards the roof despite his current disability along with two wrapped bento boxes (Ran had decided to enforce a healthy and nutritional meal into Shinichi once a day due to his recent injuries, even though Shinichi had complained this was not the first time he was injured) that Ran had decided to confront Shinichi. The look on Ran's face made it impossible for Shinichi to refuse. Though he had noticed that underneath the overly caring (in other words mother-henning) actions, there was a strong sense of worry. It was especially noticeable over the last two days, where Ran had been giving him furtive looks during class time as well as lunch and their walks to and from school. Shinichi was still internally debating whether to confront Ran about it.

Sonoko whistled quite shrilly as Ran dragged Shinichi towards the doorway. "Wife and husband off to their romantic lunch today? Leaving poor old me to my lonesome?" She teased.

"Sonoko…" Before Shinichi's abrupt disappearance, any teasing comments regarding the pair of them being romantically involved would be rebutted with embarrassed denials. Shinichi had long since learnt to ignore such remarks. However, Ran only sounded exasperated whereas before she would be flustering. "Shinichi is like a brother to me, not husband."

Shinichi froze, legs grinding to a halt. The implications of her words sinking into him.

"And you won't date your own little brother would you?" She shook her head before tugging onto Shinichi again, ignoring the jokes and laughs from the rest of their classmates. Shinichi remained silent and tense, somewhat afraid of Ran at the moment even though it was illogical.

"Shinichi?" Ran asked in concern once they arrived at the roof, empty of the students. The day was cool and breezy, with sunlight filtering softly through the clouds.

"Ran, what do you mean _younger brother_?" He asked hesitantly, his voice lacking in volume and the usual confidence. Shinichi never gave Ran cause to think it so ever since he returned. He had diligently kept a safe distance from Ran, knowing it would be near impossible for him to pursue her either due to the recent development of his own emotions or because of the many lies he made to her.

"Well, you've always been a younger brother to me ever since...although I must admit, before I knew everything, I had been hoping for otherwise. But knowing what I know now, it's really difficult to think of you as anything other than a brother. An absent-minded brother…" Ran just confirmed Shinichi's suspicion. With wide eyes, Shinichi stepped forward, his crutch falling onto the concrete ground with a rather loud clatter.

"When? How?" He demanded, hands on her shoulders both to act as support for himself and to make sure Ran would not be running away.

"What do you mean? You told me yourself." She looked confused as she picked up his crutch, head angling to the side. She slowly guided them towards the edge of the roof where several wooden chairs were placed. She helped Shinichi sit down before handing over one of the two bento boxes.

"When?" Shinichi had no recollection. He had been rather tight-lipped about his time away. No matter how Ran had demanded, he refused or made some sort of excuse, and he was sure he never said a single word about his time as Conan towards her.

"A week or so ago, when I came by the visit you in the hospital." She took apart the knot of the cloth wrap to the bento box, "you kept apologising to me. Though I hadn't thought you might not remember the incident. The doctor did say you were running quite a high fever due to an infection, and because of your torn stitches. Really Shinichi, you should know better than to stress yourself when you were injured."

"Wh-what did I say?" Shinichi dreaded to hear the answer. He picked at his rice, poking it with his chopsticks. He feared that taking a bite might cause him to choke once Ran starts to explain the incident.

"Well…" Shinichi saw her glance over with the corner of his eyes. She was probably either thinking of how to make her revenge for lying to her, or trying to guage how to break the news. "You were just staring at the ceiling when I arrived. You seemed to have recognised me so I didn't think you were delirious or anything. Then you kept apologising and saying that you weren't expecting me to forgive you but at least give you a chance to apologise?"

Shinichi gulped, staring down at his bento as though it was the most interesting thing in the world. He had been thinking about how to make up for wasting Ran's youth during the time he was in hospital.

"When I asked you the reason, you told me you lied to me." Her tone was still soft and calm but Shinichi physically shrank further away from Ran. She immediately reached out to grab Shinichi's wrist and stopped his movements. "You told me about your apparent undercover identity, telling me you've been keeping an eye on my and keeping me safe during your time away. I then...asked you a question that's been on my mind ever since Conan stayed with me…"

Shinichi slowly put down his chopsticks, his lunch barely eaten as he tries to digest Ran's words. Ran gave a strong, hard, stare at his actions but Shinichi could not eat another bite in view of the current conversation.

"You've confirmed my suspicion then and there." Ran nudged at the bento box in his hands. It took many proddings and Ran looked as though she was contemplating on feeding Shinichi though before that had happened, Shinichi took up his chopsticks again. It would be humiliating and embarrassing for Ran to do things like that for him now that he was himself. "I was mad at first, nearly wanted to bash you into the mattress at the time. But you just kept apologising for everything you've done, including that incident at the hotsprings." Ran teasingly added, possibly in hopes of defusing the tense air around them.

"And now? Are you still...mad?" Shinichi's voice sounded small even to himself.

"No. Maybe just a little bit disappointed still." She sounded genuine. "To know that you don't trust me enough to reveal yourself to me actually hurts but I know who you are, you'd do everything to try and protect everyone you know and love." She patted his shoulders. "And now, it's time for me to worry about you instead of you worrying about me."

"There's nothin-..."

"Don't lie Shinichi. I've been your childhood friend since kindergarden and I've seen you at your worst and most vulnerable. Right now, you're exactly like the first night when Conan came to live with me." There was a sense of nostalgia as she speaks as she stared up into the blue skies. "You've been looking lost ever since you came back to school to finish off the final year, but especially so ever since your injuries."

"It's nothin-..." Her stare of disbelief made Shinichi do a double take. "It's...I'm just not sure how to say it…"

"How difficult would it be for me to understand? After all, I took the news of you being Conan quite calmly. Nothing much can phase me by now." She took a moment before adding quickly in a soft whisper, "unless you're going to be telling me about...you know...being haunted by the Shinigami…"

"You've been listening to too much police gossip Ran." Last Shinichi heard, they were betting on whether Shinichi was the Shinigami himself or if he was the Ennma-daioh. Shinichi, of course, stepped into the police breakroom at the worst (or possibly best) possible moment to dispel quite a lot of the rumours and gossip. Still, it did not stop Yumi from spreading strange theories to newbies of the force.

"Then what? I've already come to terms of you not liking me the same way I've been liking you since sixteen…" She eyed him suspiciously before widening her eyes in recognition. "You found someone you like didn't you? That's why you're pining after them."

"I am not _pining_!" Shinichi vehemently denied, "and why are you using a gender-neutral pronoun?"

"I'm not blind like you Shinichi. I've known you to have attractions in both genders since you were a full member on the school's soccer team."

"What?! No! Just, no. Wait what?" Confused, Shinichi let his chopsticks fall with a clack this time instead of deliberate action.

"You liked the attention given to you by your cheerleaders and fans, of both genders might I add, and I've seen how your eyes were constantly drawn to several members of the opposing team during the end of one of the matches."

"Ran…" Shinichi wondered if the ground would swallow him whole at the moment. Or perhaps he could choke on a piece of vegetable and die in front of her to spare himself of the humiliation.

"So? What did you do to drive him away?" Ran asked boldly. "Otherwise you wouldn't look so down. If you were steady with your boyfriend, you'd only show worry…"

"Wh-how-" Shinichi shook his head hopefully to clear his head. "You know what, I don't want to know how or why you know."

Ran giggled at his exasperation. "You're just like Conan when he figured out the ending to the Samonji episode before it ended. I can't believe I couldn't see the pair of you were one and the same before."

"You haven't told anyone else have you?" In all seriousness, Shinichi feared that people might go after Ran if they knew Even though the immediate threat of the Black Organisation is gone, Shinichi would not put it pass some unsavoury characters to suddenly want the secrets to the APTX.

"I'm not an idiot Shinichi. I know better than spread something like _that_ around." Shinichi sighed in relief. "However, I do have half a mind to maybe exact revenge on you because of the hot spring incident. Maybe a nice, all expenses paid, shopping trip?"

"Now you're just blackmailing." Shinichi grumbled, picking up his chopsticks. At least he was more familiar with this particular topic of conversation instead of the previous examination to his emotions. Though it seemed his relief came too early as Ran opened her mouth once more.

"But I could settle for trying to figure out, and possibly help, your love life." She had a self-satisfying smile on her face. It was as though she knew which option Shinichi would choose.

Shinichi was stuck between the oil in the frying pan and the fire itself. He could just yield to Ran's shopping trip but she would surely push him about the matter of his emotions until he gave up. It was best to cut his losses (or at least save on money) and admit things to Ran.

"I'm an idiot." He admitted, taking a bite of rice.

"Too right you are." They sat in a companionable silence as they finished their meal. Ran was strangely patient after Shinichi had caved in to her demand.

When all their food were finished, boxes packed and wrapped, Shinichi stared up into the skies as he tries to figure out the words.

"You don't have to think so hard Shinichi. You're not confessing your undying love to me. I'm not going to be offended if you suddenly laugh, rant, or even cry." She helpfully added. "I'm just a sounding board for you to vent out your frustration. Much like what Conan did in person or you through the phone in the past."

"What have I done to deserve a friend like you." Shinichi smiled appreciatively.

"Solved a lot of murders and put a lot of criminals behind bars." She stated factually and proud like a mother towards a high-achiever son. Shinichi knew, at that point, Ran had moved on from their not-relationship to a familial bond.

Shinichi told Ran about the various incidences as Irie Shiina, how he _met_ someone (without actually dropping names of course). He told Ran how both of them were habouring secrets that hurt their previous relationship to which Ran asked how can a secret be more devastating than Conan and Shinichi put into forced laughter.

"Well...unless he's actually a criminal?" Ran jokingly offer and Shinichi winced. "You mean he _is_ actually a criminal? Shinichi, I thought you knew better!"

"He's not all that bad…" He defended. KID was not bad, he always upheld his strict moral code and returned what he stole. The only 'bad' thing he did was demoralised the police force and humiliating them (at least KID never seemed to have taken humiliating pictures of the Task Force in their various costumes and sent them to the media, so at least no blackmail).

"Not all that bad...so he didn't kill anyone then I suppose? He's a thief?"

Shinichi stayed silent, taking a glance at his surrounding and wondered when lunch would end to spare him of this interrogation.

"Shinichi, you fell in love with KID?" She stared at him with her jaws dropped and hands over her mouth.

"RAN! What?! How?! Why?!" This was the second time under an hour that Shinichi had been startled by his childhood friend.

"You were always quite keen on participating the KID heists as Conan, there was always that sparkle when you've been presented with a heist note or KID's seemingly impossible tricks. It's actually quite similar to when you droned on about Sherlock Holmes." She teased, poking Shinichi at his side. "Which, might I add with personal experience is something you shouldn't do on a date."

"What experience? We've never even had an official date."

"Tropical Island? Does it ring a bell?"

Shinichi outwardly winced again. It was memory he wanted to desperately forget.

"So you found out about KID's civilian identity, fell in love with him. Unfortunately, he fell for your other persona and is currently hating your guts." She succinctly summarised. Her words made the situation all the more real. "You really don't know how to take things easy do you Shinichi? Always taking the path of most resistance."

"Would it help my case if I told you it wasn't intentional?"

"Not a single bit." The bell rang at the exact moment, signalling the end of lunch (and subsequently end of Shinichi's interrogation). "Well, come on then." Ran helped Shinichi up from his seat, handing over the crutch and stabilizing him.

The rest of the afternoon had Shinichi in a nervous state, constantly wondering what Ran would do with the information now and what strange plan she has stored inside her head. With her trends in _helping_ with her parent's relationship, Shinichi dread the various situations Ran might put Shinichi to. Thankfully, Ran has yet to know about the civilian identity of KID.

'But for how long?' Shinichi took a sideways glance at Ran who was humming as they walked down the familiar path towards the Kudo mansion. She had this smile on her face that suggested she was already plotting. 'Once she talks with my mother, Ran would most likely put her plans to action. I'm not sure whether I should warn him ahead of time…' Then Shinichi remembered the last words the magician said to him and was suddenly swept with a wave of sadness.

"Shinichi? Are you ok?" Ran placed a supportive arm around his shoulders.

"I'm fine."

"That seems to be your catchphrase lately." She gave his shoulders a tight squeeze before moving to open the gates to the mansion. "Your face doesn't match your words. Are you sure you're not wearing a disguise right now?"

He ignored her question and called out the customary "I'm home" to which his mother immediately stuck her head out into the corridor with a cheerful smile.

"Welcome home Shin-chan, hello Ran-chan nice of you to stop by." She waved them towards the kitchen. Trays of cookies were set on the bench, some cooling on the racks and others in boxes. "I'll go pour some tea."

"Where's tou-san?" Shinichi glanced about the room. His father would choose to work inside the dining room when his mother was experimenting with recipes so not seeing him sitting by the table with a laptop was somewhat strange.

"Your father's in the book signing tour right now remember? He left with you this morning."

Shinichi thought back, but he could not recall the incident. "I don't seem to remember."

"Well, you were quite out of it…" His mother sighed, "You haven't been paying much attention lately outside of crime scenes. I suppose you haven't ran across one today? You were back awfully early." She glanced over at the clock on the wall, only thirty minutes had passed since school has ended.

"Neither of us have regular club practice now that we're in our final year and we didn't take the route through the shopping district so we were safe." Ran took a chocolate cookie from the cooling tray and tasted it. "These are pretty good."

"Take some back with you Ran-chan. With Ai-chan watching the professor's diet, I'm hesitant to offer any to him." Even without waiting for a reply, his mother was already packing them into a plastic box ready to be taken.

"I'll take extras in case some kids come over to the agency. The Detective Boys still like to drop by every now and then just to say hi."

Shinichi left the two women to talk, telling them "I'll be in the library." He heard his mother say to Ran how his father had literally banned Shinichi from going into the library during his recovery.

Like always, the library smelled of paper and ink with a dash of fragrance provided by the flowers in a nearby vase. His eyes were drawn to the overly thick tome placed at the base of the vase. The same book that held the pressed flowers. Reaching out, he let his fingers skim over the cover before drawing them back quickly and cradling the hand as though he had just been burnt. It would not do to let his mind linger back to the last meeting with the magician inside this space.

He purposefully drew his eyes back towards the shelves, letting them roam until it caught onto a leather bound spine. Deciding the book would be enough to distract him until dinner time, he pulled it from the shelves and dug into the French words spun on the paper.

' _L'étrange voyage! Il avait si bien commencé cependant!..._ '

 **-TBC-**


	29. Instant karma?

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: For those who don't know, yes the final French phrase from last chapter was from Lupin. I had the urge so...yea. On other news, yes, another chapter without Kai-Shin interaction. They do have a life beyond each other. Also, this particular chapter was added _**after**_ I wrote the ending so...maybe plot holes? If so, tell me and I'll try and fix it up (with the interludes...again...I use the interludes to answer reviewer queries).

* * *

 **Ch23: Instant karma?**

Days dragged on, and on, and on for Kaito who seemed to have been lost in the stream of time. There was a constant feeling of dark cloud surrounding him, though he made an effort to hide it all during school to avoid Aoko's concerned gazes and Hakuba's invasive and annoying observations. Both had seem to take upon themselves to _monitor_ Kaito's behaviour after the out-of-character display of friendliness. He was both touched and annoyed at this change but it was mostly his fault to raise concern.

After the revelation, Kaito was unsettled. He could barely keep still as the thought of needing to do _something_ to repair the damage he made. However, he could not bring himself to visit the detective, knowing it was he who hurt the detective the most. Combining that with endangering the detective at the heist, Kaito felt he did not deserve to go see the detective.

Nevertheless, he still sent his doves to keep an eye on the detective, just in case. Thankfully, the detective stayed at home during his recovery, which made surveillance easy. However, Kaito often saw the faraway look on the detective's face through the video feeds, and even through the relatively low resolution of the image, he saw the beginnings of shadows appearing underneath the normally bright blue eyes. He knew this was his fault, yet Kaito was not sure what he could do to remove such an expression, to erase the shadows, or to replace the dullness.

"Kaito?" His mother called from downstairs. Kaito glanced at the bedside clock, startled that it was already after six. He had been sitting at the same position, staring out into nothing in particular, as the looped video played on the computer beside him.

"Kaito?" His mother's concerned voice was closer this time and Kaito finally turned his chair around. He saw his mother peeking through the doorway with a ladle in her hand. "Is everything ok? You've been rather quiet."

"I'm fine 'kaa-san. Just...thinking." He tapped several keys on the keyboard without looking, closing the video window to display a random webpage instead. His mother frowned, no doubt having seen what was on the screen.

"Anything you want to tell me?" Instead of retreating, his mother walked closer to Kaito. She reached across to the computer. Kaito was about to stop her but her stern gaze made him hesitate. Those precious seconds was all it took for his mother to bring the previous screen back up. "You were keeping an eye on Shinichi-kun?"

"I…um..." Kaito was not sure how to reply that. His actions does sound rather incriminating and stalker-ish coming from his mother.

"If you were that worried, it might be a good thing to visit him. I'm sure he would appreciate it." A soft smile appeared on his mother's face as she tries to encourage Kaito to act. But Kaito shook his head instead.

"I don't think so. I've...hurt him. Badly. I mean…" Shaking his head, Kaito tries to clear his mind from the dark clouds. "The things I've said...and how I've treated him. It's as though…"

"As though you don't appreciate him as a person right?"

Kaito winced but nodded.

"You were angry, sad even, at the disappearance of Shiina-chan. Shinichi-kun would understand." She tries to ruffle his hair but he backed away from the comforting touch, knowing he did not deserve it.

"I _hurt_ him." He turned to look at the computer screen once more. It showed the still detective sitting on his bed with an open book on his lap but dull eyes staring out into the gardens, straight into the camera. The normally observant and paranoid detective did not seem to have noticed his dove sitting on the tree looking in through the window, another hint on the amount of hurt Kaito caused the detective. "I've deliberately caused harm despite my continuous preaching of _no-harm_ policy."

"But do you regret it?"

"Of course I do!" Frustrated, Kaito smashed his hand on the keyboard, drawing error messages onto the screen. "But what can _I_ do? I'm the one who caused this!"

A frown and a smack to the back of his head from his mother snapped Kaito out of his frustration.

"Don't vent your frustration like that." His mother rarely scolds him nowadays, knowing Kaito never really reacts well with anger. However, her soft tone more than makes up for angered shouting. "If you truly feel you are at wrong, it is up to you to fix it. No one else."

"I _know_ but I _can't_." He sighed, sinking further into the seat.

"It's not a matter of _can't_ but a matter of _won't_. You just don't want to act." She huffed with slight anger. "I didn't raise you to be a coward."

"I'm not a coward!" He muttered, "just that I don't know what I could do…"

Sighing, his mother pulled Kaito out of the chair, tugging him out of the room with force. The hand around his wrist was borderlining on hurt but Kaito did not dare to voice out. Once in the dining room, his mother pushed him towards the table and forced him into a seat.

"Dinner's going to be ready soon."

Obediently, and slightly afraid at what his mother was going to do (he dearly hoped his mother was not preparing fish, or sashimi, or sushi, or...well just _fish_ in general) he sat quietly at his seat. Despite the need (or want) to fidget, he kept his hands and arm on the table as he watchied his mother. After ten minutes, Kaito was rather bored but his nerves were shot. He could not help but ask "is there a point to this?"

"You need to be away from that computer, to clear your head." She stated plainly, grabbing two bowls from the cupboard. "Rice." She pointed towards the rice cooker and Kaito helped with the servings.

Dinner was passed in a rather tense atmosphere, with his mother not wanting to talk and him lost in his own thoughts. It was only when all the food was finished that his mother decided to speak.

"Kaito." She addressed in a rather serious tone. "I'm not going to say whether your actions were right or wrong. You're more than old enough to determine that yourself. However, I will say that you shouldn't leave things as it is."

"What can _I_ do?" Kaito took the cup of tea offered by his mother, a seemingly comforting drink with barely any steam rising from its surface. "Say even if I visited him, I'd only aggravate the situation and I don't know what to say...I'm not sure if I could hold myself back when he wouldn't admit to anything…"

"What _would_ you want to do? Do you want to go back to the time before everything happened?" It was a simple question, one that Kaito had asked himself many times over.

"'Kaa-san, despite my belief in Pandora, even I know time travelling is impossible." Even if Kaito went to look for his witch classmate, he doubted she could help with the task. Though she might have a spell or two that could help, if Kaito was willing to sell his soul to the witch (it would be a moot point to sell his soul to her if Kaito wanted to give his soul to the detective as compensation for trampling on his emotions).

"Then? What do you want to do?"

"Apologise...maybe? I mean, I don't think he'd accept it." Taking a careful sip of his drink, he stared down at the brownish liquid. "I know I wouldn't accept an apology from someone who would just accuse me…"

"Shinichi-kun is not you. He's a detective."

"And that's supposed to mean something?" Kaito glanced up at his mother with expectant eyes, hoping she was going somewhere with this.

"Detectives can always tell whether you mean your words or whether you're lying. And with someone as good as Shinichi-kun, he'd be able to tell if your apologies were sincere."

That meal had left Kaito with a lot more to think about. The very next day, Kaito decided to change tactics. Instead of keeping a careful eye on the detective, he began gathering information. The detective's likes, dislikes, patterns, chores, anything that he could get his hands on. Though, a normal person would call this excessive stalking and an invasion of privacy. But Kaito considered it to be reconnaissance. Although he impersonated the detective before, he still needed (wanted) to know more about the detective.

"You do realise," Hakuba approached him one afternoon during lunch as Kaito was engrossed in an old news article, "that you're developing an obsessive compulsive behaviour don't you?"

"Whatever do you mean?" He had gone through three years worth of newspaper and selected out all those that had a passing mention of the detective. Kaito could not believe his eyes when he read the print. It seems the detective was better than good, he was excellent, having solved every single crime he was presented with.

"You've been reading articles on Kudo Shinichi for the pass week or so. You've only pulled pranks when either myself or Aoko-san mentions it to you. Even then, they were all _themed_ to include something blue. A very specific blue in fact. If I don't know any better…"

"Stop." Kaito clicked his fingers together and a puff of teal blue smoke appeared in front of Hakuba. When the smoke cleared, the blond's mouth was carefully taped together with sapphire blue duct tape. "Don't even say a single word."

With a wince, Hakuba removed the offending tape from his mouth, leaving behind a red imprint. "Kuroba-kun, what has gotten into you? Your behaviour is more erratic than usual." Hakuba said in an accusatory tone similar to the one used when accusing Kaito to be KID.

"And? That's bothered you how? I haven't focused my attention on you lately so that must be good right? Why are you so eager to return me to _normal_?" Kaito knew he was lashing out and it was quite an illogical action (not that he had ever been logical to begin with). Still, he felt slightly guilty when Hakuba widened his eyes a fraction at Kaito's outlash.

"Alright Kuroba-kun, stay moody for all I care." Hakuba stalked off with softly muttered words of "this is the last time I try being nice."

Kaito wondered if he should reach out, call the blond detective back and make an apology of some sort. That drew a mental wince as he realised he had been quite rude to detectives lately. He could blame it on the fact that he was a part-time thief and detectives were his eternal enemies thus inducing such defensive words. But he would be kidding himself. He had considered the blond detective as a friend but Kaito doubted he could actually confide in him. Kaito let his outstretched hand fall back to hold his tablet computer once more, eyes focusing on the words.

It seems his actions were caught by the blond detective who heaved a rather noisy sigh.

"Just know that both Aoko-san and I are here for you if you needed someone to talk to." With a shake of his head, Hakuba returned to his seat and pulled out a book.

Kaito could not help but be surprised.

Before returning to his reading, Kaito made several mental amendments to further exempt the blond from his pranks for at least another week. He deserved that for the strange show of compassion.

The following afternoon lessons were tense, where Hakuba would constantly glance at Kaito's seat and Kaito would pretend not to have noticed (a rather difficult feat seeing as Hakuba's glances were none too inconspicuous). And Kaito was exceptionally glad when the day finally ended and he could leave.

Only, to be waylaid by his mother at the school gates.

She had been drawing quite a lot of attention to herself with the parked red convertible and dark green kimono with tiny white flowers littered along the hemline. An odd combination but somehow his mother managed to pull it off. She waved enthusiastically the moment their eyes met and Kaito could not help but heave a sigh.

"'Kaa-san, what's the special occasion?" He eyed the seats wearily, noting the paper bag placed in the passenger side.

"Do I need a reason to dress up?" She reached back and pulled the bag from its position, pushing it into Kaito's arms. "Go change. You have 10 minutes before I change you myself."

Knowing full well his mother would have stripped him in public if he did not comply, Kaito hurried back into the school building to locate the bathroom. The bag held some of his more formal clothes, consisting of a pair of dark trousers, a dark blue long sleeved tee and a white short sleeved shirt with twin breast pockets. Kaito had been surprised to see his mother did not pull out something from her _special_ collection or decided to dress Kaito up as something else (namely female, or more embarrassingly cosplaying as a kitten which had happened before leaving a rather traumatic memory in its place). Ensuring he was well put together, Kaito approached his mother once more. Her approving gaze told her that yes, she approved of his current look (thankfully, else they would be going on an emergency shopping trip to dress Kaito up to the correct standard for whatever even his mother had planned).

The way Kaito took to this sudden change in normalcy should say quite a lot about the type of life Kaito is living in. Not even batting an eyelid when his mother sped down the highway, but still taking a scenic route to downtown Tokyo, and arrived at a rather posh looking Japanese residence. The small wooden plaque on the doorframe and the noran indicated the place to be a restaurant.

"Are you setting me up for a blind date?" Kaito could not help but ask as they were greeted by the entrance. Looking at his watch, he found that he had spaced out for the duration of the long ride and already two hours had passed. 'No wonder the sky looks a lot darker.' Although some part of him questioned whether his mother had drugged him at some point during the ride for him to lose such a large chunk of time.

"I'm doing you a special favour. It would serve you well to be thankful." She handed the keys to the concierge, who quickly motioned for the valet. They were led to a private chamber, quite a ways away from the main entrance hall. On the way, they passed by a rather aesthetic Japanese garden, complete with the scenic landscape, trimmed hedges, smalls stream, and a rather large willow overlooking the waters. Kaito shivered at the possibilities hiding within the waters and had to wonder whether his mother would insist him walking with this possible _date_ into the garden to know one-another.

The private room was set up for four people and Kaito knew that he had to somehow make his escape. Especially since he doubted any date his mother set up could match up to the various times he spent with a certain blue-eyed individual. No matter how beautiful his possible date could be, they would not be able to hold a candle to the one currently taking place in his heart. Although a certain pang sprung forth when his memories wandered back to the rather abrupt end to the relationship. Shaking his head to clear the sudden onslaught of negativity, he excused himself to the bathroom, all the while plotting how to escape this predicament.

 **-TBC-**


	30. And they lived Happily Ever After

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: It's kind of sad to see this coming to an end. There's also an epilogue coming up to wrap up the loose ends. And please, head out of the gutter.

* * *

 **Ch24: And they lived Happily Ever After**

Ran tugged at Shinichi, urging him to walk faster. Thankfully, he was off the crutch now and could move without the metallic encumbrance.

"You're already late. If Yukiko-san hadn't messaged me…" It does not bode well for Shinichi as his mother had rather texted Ran's phone instead of his own. It was as though she knew he would not read the messages (which to be honest he had been trying to avoid his own mobile for a majority of the time ever since... _that incident_ in the library). They were waylaid on their way back from school by a crime-in-progress (petty theft) and were held in the police station or their statements. It was nearly half past four when Ran suddenly stood up and demanded the pair of them to leave the station (after reassuring the officer on duty they would sign the forms at a later date).

"Ran, it's only dinner. 'Kaa-san would probably be late anyways seeing as it's in Ginza, she'd be too busy with her shopping to notice I was late." Shinichi kept pace with the hurried steps, arriving at the Kudo mansion in record time.

"You had _reservations_ , not any old cafe or restaurant. They'll only hold them for a short amount of time before giving your table up." She nudged him up the stairs. "Hurry, go take a shower or something, you smell."

"Wait, at least let me grab a change of clothing…" Normally, he would have gone straight to the restaurant in his school uniform but apparently, his mother left strict instructions to Ran to have him change into something else.

"I'll go grab them for you. Heaven knows your sense of fashion is not exactly _normal_." Further insistent pushing had Shinichi stumbling into the tiled room, nearly falling flat on his face. He sighed as he stripped down in the changing area and chucking the clothes into a nearby wicker basket before moving on into the shower room.

Freshly cleaned and dried, Shinichi emerged out of the shower room to find a small cluster of clothes placed on the counter in the changing area. He slipped on the clothes, blushing when he took his underwear from the pile and knowing it was Ran who went through his underwear drawer (it was mortifying to know but at the same time, Ran _had_ done the laundry for Conan so he should at least be used to it), and slipped on the pair of black slacks and white shirt. Ran had managed to snag a belt for him as well, possibly noticing Shinichi had lost some weight that even the previously fitted and tailored trousers would be slightly looser on his frame than usual.

"Hm…" Ran was waiting in the corridors with a vest, tie, and a pair of socks. She tapped a finger on her chin as she checked Shinichi's appearance. "It will have to do."

"Formal wear?" Shinichi motioned for the tie, expertly wrapping it around his neck and knotting it with a simple knot.

"No, not that one. Use that other one...you know the more…" Ran made some strange straightening gestures and it took a few tries for Shinichi to tie the apparent _correct_ knot, which Ran then loosened slightly so it hangs off near the first button and left the top collar button undone.

"Good, you're good to go now." She then proceeded to tug at Shinichi once more down the staircase, which nearly resulted in Shinichi face planting on the steps. She handed the socks over and Shinchi dutifully pulled them on as Ran rummaged through the shoe drawer.

"I can just slip on the trainers you know. Why do I have to dress up like this anyways?"

"It's a restaurant in _Ginza_. You don't turn up to a restaurant in Ginza in jeans, tee, and trainers." It sounded as though she was teaching a rather stubborn student. Shinichi thought Ran might make a good teacher one day.

A pair of brown boat shoes landed in front of Shinichi.

"Come on then, hurry up." She tapped her feet. Shinichi had no choice but obey.

Within record time, they were able to arrive in Ginza in front of a rather traditional shop front with wide arches and wooden beams.

"And this is where I leave you. Yukiko-san insisted I make sure you arrive here on time." Giving him a gentle push towards the wooden shutter doors and the dark blue noran, she muttered a soft "good luck" and gave a cheerful wave. Shinichi looked at his childhood friend with a small frown and knitted brows, wondering why he would need luck (though he _was_ dealing with his mother here. For all he knew, it could be a blind date or something).

He was immediately greeted by a kimono wearing waitress who bowed at the waist. The traditional atmosphere continued with the wooden floors and the entryway that insisted customers to remove their shoes upon entry.

"I have a reservation under Kudo." He announced as he took off the shoes on the steps.

"Kudo-sama has arrived earlier. Allow me to bring you to her." She bowed again as she took the shoes away, leaving Shinichi with a number tag. When she emerged, she directed Shinichi down a turn of corridor before emerging in a semi-outdoor walkway that overlooked a Japanese garden of stone and pebble. There was even a dark coloured bridge and a beautifully trimmed willow tree overhanging the bridge.

"Sir?" She gestured over to the partially opened shutters.

"My apologies." He walked over to see his mother sitting on the low table wearing an amused smile over the smart suit.

"Shin-chan! Thank goodness! You came just at the right time." She leapt out of her chair and hugged him with enthusiasm. "Good coordination, especially the tie and the knot."

"You have Ran to thank for that." Shinichi tugged on the collar, suddenly feeling slightly claustrophobic. He glanced over at the table, noticing it to be set for four. There was a bottle of Sake on the table with two glass set on one end of the table. He noticed the one in front of his own mother to be half filled and the other glass was already upturned, signalling the other party must have arrived. "'Kaa-san…"

"Oh my Shin-chan." She stood up and was suddenly busy with something on his vest. "You should probably go give that a clean though. It looks like it could stain. I wonder how you managed to get that on you." She rubbed her fingers on a spot just above his heart. Shinichi peered down to see a dark splotch and tested with his fingers. It felt dry to the touch.

"Fine. But I expect an explanation." Shinichi walked out of the room and into the open corridors, asking for directions once he saw a waitress (the same one that greeted him). He was directed to a rather remote part of the restaurant where silence reigned. The small green tag by the doorknob indicated the bathroom to be free and Shinichi went inside, slipping on the courtesy slippers. It was classically furnished, with a rather stylish porcelain sink and silver taps, a decorated hand towel dispenser, yellow chrysanthemum in a black lacquer vase, and a heavy wooden door just opposite of the door he entered from that led to the actual toilet basin.

The moment the doors clicked shut behind him, the one in front of him opened. Startled, Shinichi only froze in place as a recognisable head of brunet hair emerged.

"I should have known." He winced rather noticeably as he approached the sink with stilted steps. Shinichi made way by stepping farther away from the magician, keeping as much space between them as possible. With how they parted ways previously, Shinichi decided to err on the side of caution. He could never be too certain whether the magician-thief would exact his revenge for Shinichi's play on his emotion. "I'm not going to hit you or anything." He looked at Shinichi from the mirror's reflection. Shinichi noticed there was something different about those indigo eyes as they drifted over to peer at the door behind Shinichi. There was a hint of strange colour underneath the eye, just a touch paler than the rest of the magician's skin. Shinichi shook his head, thinking it must be the lighting in the room.

Shinichi was instantly reminded that they were most likely locked in this room. "Did my mother just lock us in a _water closet_?" It was quite her style of prank after all.

The magician shrugged before reaching behind Shinichi. He could not help but try to avoid further eye contact and he suddenly found the tiles extremely interesting.

"Yeow!" The magician must have triggered something as the overhead lights flashed briefly before plunging them into darkness. "I guess my mum was in on this as well."

Shinichi could barely see the magician's silhouette with the limited light reflecting off the mirror. Though it was quite obvious that the magician was cradling his arm.

"Let me see." Shinichi reached out to take the arm, bringing it closer towards the sink and placing it under running water, ignoring the feeling of warmth and gentle heat seeping through his own palm. He figured the doorknob would be boobytrapped with electric current and would likely have caused a burn. Taking off his wristwatch (a modified watch with the same functions as his previous Conan watch) he turned on the small torch-light and set it on the side. Carefully, he brought the injured hand closer to the light to see the damage. Thankfully it was only superficial damage and there did not seem to be much of a burn. "Thank goodness." He sighed in relief. Hands and fingers were vital tools for a magician and it would be a shame to see scaring on such perfect and flawless skin. "There doesn't seem to be any damage, though I can't be certain unless we get more light." Shinichi held the hand in a loose grip, careful as he trace the area of the fingertips and noting whether there were any flinches or tension in the hand as he did so.

The magician was silent during Shinichi's ministration but he still felt an intense gaze to the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry." Shinichi suddenly realised how long he held onto the hand and quickly tries to retract his own hands, only to be held by the magician instead.

"No, I should be the one who's apologising." There was a sincere apologetic tone to his voice. "I shouldn't have acted like that back then. There's probably a reason why you did that and I was the one who wasn't taking the hint. I'm the one at fault here."

Shinichi bit on his lower lips, wanting to tell the magician that it was not his fault to begin with. But he held back for it seemed the magician still had much to say. It was clear that it had been bothering the magician for a while and the fact that the magician was always avoiding Shinichi's gaze hinted of the magician's fear of Shinichi's reaction.

"You've been, or I should have said Irie-chan has been, trying to tell me all the time to back away but I kept on pushing. It was rather ungentlemanly of me to do something like that…." Shinichi let the magician ramble on, noticing how the magician's other hand has slipped inside a pocket, fingering something inside. "I completely understand if you do not want to have anything to do with me, but I still wanted to make amends. I...don't really want us to _end_ like that even though we've never started anything as ourselves…" The amount of hesitancy in the magician's voice and its wavering quality made Shinichi want to bundle him up and hug him close. It was painful for Shinichi to hear such a sound coming from the magician.

Noticing the bulge in the magician's pocket from where he slender digits quickly disappeared into, Shinichi figured it held something small, but also something that brought comfort for the magician. This object was also likely to be linked with the current conversational topic otherwise the magician would not have made such a deliberate movement. A moment of deduction and Shinichi licked his lips. He was taking a gamble here and he hoped he would come out on top.

"Do you have lip balm on you?" Shinichi asked boldly. He was met with bright violets staring back at him. The tense moment was echoed with the rustling of fabric before Shinichi was presented with a stick of lip balm, the exact same one that he thought to have been lost long ago during, the one the Shinichi had treasured for a brief few hours before the dream began its descending course to reach its lowest point during _that incident_. Both pairs of eyes locked onto the lip balm held between them. Shinichi looked up shyly towards the pair of brilliant violets before glancing back at the small plastic tube. Hesitant hands reached up to finger the plastic casing, only for Kaito to draw it back. There was a sudden sense of disappointment and Shinichi tries to not let it show on his face. But it seemed he was wrong to make such a hasty assumption as deft fingers pulled open the plastic cap and swiftly twisted the bottom to reveal the light pink shade.

Shinichi opened his mouth to say something but the lip balm was already placed on his lips, gliding a waxy, glossy, layer over the chapped skin. A thumb gently brush on the edge of the lips, removing some of the glossy substance from where it ventured outside of the lip line. It lingered on the edge of his jaws, gently caressing the skin.

Taking advice from Kaito's mother, and using the same impulsive actions often portrayed by his own mother, Shinichi launched himself forward and laid his lips onto Kaito's. The surprised "eek" from Kaito was pleasant to Shinichi's ears as his tongue traced the lips of his target. A moment later, the other's wet appendage came out to play as though enticed by Shinichi's dance, and the two tangoed until the newcomer gave way and let Shinichi into its domain. Licking the wet cavern, he tasted hints of chocolate, vanilla, and coffee, delighted at the mixture on Shinichi's palette. When they ran out of air, Shinichi pulled back, noticing that even under the dim lighting of the bathroom, Kaito shone like a beacon.

"So it was you who took it…" Shinichi said with a whispery voice interlaced with huffs of breathlessness.

"You left it at the Blue Parrot. I was hoping to find a good chance to give it back. But now, I think I'll keep it a bit longer." Kaito reapplied the lip balm onto Shinichi's lips before attacking the swollen flesh. This time, it was Shinichi who surrendered to Kaito's whims and managed to taste strawberry, most likely from the lip balm. However, this meeting of lips was kept short. "After all, my lips are also chapped and you'll never know when I'll need it."

The mischievous glint was prominent in violet eyes, echoed dully in Shinichi's own. Regardless of what happened in their shared past, Shinichi had already put it behind him and had forgiven the magician quite early on. Though he had also known that because the magician still wanted to respect Shinichi's wishes and was afraid of his possible wrath, Shinichi knew the magician himself would not make any moves on him unless Shinichi took the initiative.

"Then I guess I'll have to find a new way to apply it then." Giving Kaito a light peck, Shinichi finally managed to extricate himself from Kaito before moving to straighten himself. "Do you think we can ditch our parents and leave?"

"I'm guessing they expected us to." Kaito eyed the door knob leading outside. "Or we can always stay for a little longer and see how long they can last without the WC. We're not coming out of the closet that easily, and definitely not on their terms."

Shinichi laughed before launching himself at Kaito once more, wrapping his arms around the neck and shoulders before nuzzling at the junction. He could feel Kaito's rapid pulse, much like his own, and he laid another kiss on the neck.

"No, we'll do so on our terms." He was given similar treatment when Kaito began nuzzling at his temple, hand roaming his body. Shinichi felt pleasantly comfortable even in such a cramped setting. They were likely not leaving this (water) closet any time soon.

 **-TBC-**


	31. Epilogue

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: Here's the end. Hopefully it plugged up the plot holes. Head out of gutter please.

* * *

 **Ch25: Epilogue**

Shinichi and Kaito sat side by side on the cold bathroom tiles, facing the entrance in case anyone decided to come release them from the booby-trapped room. So far, they have found not only the doorknob to be trapped, but there were several tiles that sank to their touch, releasing goo, glitter, and fairy dust from the ceiling.

"How did you come by the lip balm? I genuinely thought I lost it." Shinichi fingered the plastic tube in his hand as Kaito's hands splayed at his hips and played on the bones that were jutting out to the side. Shinichi liked the warm feeling on his skin.

"Jii-chan dropped it off on the exact day when I had my epiphany." Kaito's thumb made circular motions across his skin, a rather soothing motion. One that caused Shinichi to want to rest his head on the magician's shoulder just for a while. He quickly succumbed to such instincts and allowed his head to rest.

"Epiphany of what?" His hands stilled his play on the lip balm. Shinichi peered up at Kaito between his lashes and was rewarded with a gentle peck on the corner of his lips. Unsatisfied with such a brief encounter, Shinichi leaned upwards to catch his lips once more, only parting when he had his fill.

"That I finally realised why you did what you did. Why you choose not to say anything even as I accused you." Kaito's free hand reached up to caress his cheeks, which he leaned into. "You cared too much for others and not enough for yourself. And I feel as though I've let you down for not respecting you enough."

"I didn't want to hurt you." He whispered, tilting his head back towards the ground. Shinichi wanted to put some space between them, as though fearing the magician would hurt him in return for the words he spoke. "I was ready to bury Irie Shiina, to let her become a nice memory of something I can never have, something that you could treasure and keep."

"Is that what you would do if I never said anything? That you'll keep quiet?" Kaito sounded hurt. "I've been told it's always better off with the truth when we're dealing with emotions and feelings. If you had said something sooner…"

"Then what? You'd still be accusing me of lying and being heartless and…" Shinichi's voice dropped to a small whisper, though it sounded loud within the tiled room.

"I don't really mean all of what I said on the day." Kaito tilted Shinichi's chin in his direction, wanting to keep eye contact to continue with the heady conversation. Kaito needed to convey his feelings, he wanted to be truthful to the detective and not hide it behind a mask. "I was frustrated, angry, and annoyed that you couldn't tell me. But at the same time, I was annoyed at myself for falling so hard for Irie Shiina and not getting to actually know the person."

"What do you mean?" Shinichi's curiosity urged to question the magician further. In his mind, they had interacted and converse, enough to learn about each other's quirks. "You interacted with Irie Shiina so in some sense, you were acquainted with her even for a short period of time."

"I only saw what I wanted in Irie Shiina. Did you know I kept referring her as 'my Lady' but never her name in my mind? She was like figment of my imagination rather than a real person." Kaito's thumb brushed over the soft lips, eyes roaming the skin, taking in all the detail and committing it to memory.

"But she's not exactly real…" In Shinichi's mind, that was the truth, that Irie Shiina was never real to begin with even as his mother and even Kaito's own mother had said there was a certain degree of Shinichi within the Shiina character.

"That could be a reason. That I've subconsciously knew Irie Shiina was just a farce." Kaito released Shinichi's chin, returning his hands to its previous position by their laps. This time, Kaito's focus was on Shinichi's hands as Kaito took up the detective's slender hand. "But still, I didn't really know about the person behind the identity. Likes and dislikes, preference to music, favourite store, those types of things." The fingers moved from a circular motion on the back of Shinichi's hands to a worship of his fingers. He had to restrain himself from pulling out of the warm grasp when it tickled.

"We've been to a music store, I told you about my music preference then." His words were less stable than normal, but Shinichi doubted Kaito picked up on it.

"Ok, fine. Not that then. But I mean actually _knowing_ a person and not just what I perceive the person behind the name would be." Kaito brushed away the fringes obscuring the blue orbs that he had come to be addicted to. They were like black holes, sucking Kaito in and Kaito could be lost forever in those eyes.

"You're not making any sense you know." Shinichi poked at Kaito in the nose before softly adding, "But now, I wouldn't mind you knowing me…"

"Oh? Would that translate to knowing _every inch_ of you?" Just as playful, Kaito's hand began to roam close to the line of buttons down the chest, stopping at the waist where the shirt had been tucked in. Kaito pulled slowly on the shirt only to be stopped by a firm hand.

"Not here." It was not much of a resistance, sounding more like Shinichi had wanted to save it for later rather than wanting to refuse Kaito. Kaito could agree to such terms, holding the hand up for a quick kiss on the back before resting his own head on the bed of hair that smell faintly like fresh grass.

"Of course. We should be somewhere more romantic than hard-tiled floors when pursuing such activities. I want to make it up to you, for everything and every wrong that I've done." Wrapping his arm around Shinichi's shoulders, Kaito found his eyes to be slowly drooping without his input even though he had felt quite refreshed for the whole day. Before he succumbed to darkness, he made a quick glance over to Shinichi on his shoulder, only realising the detective's breath had evened out with sleep. Not having those bright blue eyes to look into, Kaito closed his own eyes and dropped off into oblivion. His final thoughts before darkness overcame his mind were plans for a date all tailored towards the detective's likes.

Both startled into wakefulness at the sound of rattling. Kaito prepared for the worst as he knelt defensively in front of Shinichi, who looked on in confusion. Knowing the antics his own mother can be up to, Kaito was not willing to relax his position. Only when sunlight shone through the doorway, revealing two staff of the restaurant, did Kaito relax and slump back down into the floor.

"We must apologise." Both staffs had bowed low at the waist when they saw the pair inside the bathroom. "We had not known guests were locked in the bathrooms. We should have checked this area, but it was not used yesterday night and we had assumed no one ventured here. Especially with the 'Out of Service' sign in front and the 'Employees Only, Do Not Enter' sign further down the hallway."

"No, no. It's not your fault." Kaito tries to placate the frantic waitress. The manager behind had walked over to help Shinichi up from the floor. "I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding. There weren't any signs when we came in so it's as much our fault for coming here."

"We're very sorry." The manager bowed again. "It was remiss of us not to check. Please, allow us to compensate." The pair were led (or more like guilt tripped to follow the pair of staff) to lavishly furnished rooms, clearly rooms to stay for a night rather than for purely dining. "This establishment is both a restaurant and a ryokan. Please, stay at least to rest. We will provide you with the meals for the day and the pair of you can return home refreshed the next day. It is the least we can do for our negligence."

"There's really no…" Shinichi began to say only to be cut off by the pleading gaze from the waitress and manager. "It looks like we have no choice…" He glanced over at Kaito who stood to the side with a rather contemplative look on his face.

"It's fine. I don't mind staying for the day and night. I had nothing planned for the weekend anyways."

"Thank heavens. Please, esteemed guests, stay for the weekend." The manager bowed before walking over to the main area to clear it of the existing furniture as the waitress busied herself by the cupboard, bringing out futons. Both Shinichi and Kaito stood at the threshold, looking between the pair of staff and themselves before bursting out laughing. The strange turn of events and the lack of actual sleep contributed to the sudden mood swing.

"Well, at least we're out of the closet now." Kaito commented, still laughing. To which Shinichi giggled harder.

 **-END-**


	32. Payback

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: I couldn't help myself but add this in. Head out of gutter please.

* * *

 **Omake (1): Payback**

"Um...Kaito?" Shinichi was still groggy from sleep. He would not have woken up if it were not for the lack of a certain heat source and the small amount of light into the room. He sat up on the futon, letting the blanket fall down the shoulders, exposing his bare torso. He shivered slightly, earning a worried glance from Kaito who immediately came over to wrap Shinichi in a rather warming hug. Kaito had positioned himself behind Shinichi, effectively warming his bare back, with his own bare torso, and shoulders as hands came round and continued to fiddle with a small capsule.

"What are you doing?" Curious, Shinichi's eyes focused on the deft digits as it inserted the capsule into a metallic contraption akin to a small blow dart.

"Hm…" Kaito hummed, hand turning the metal over to check for flaws. It was a hastily brought together blow dart but it should do the trick. He needed some way to pay his mother back for the fear and anxiety she induced from the sudden 'blind date' and the subsequent locking him with an electrified door.

"This." Shinichi's hands wrapped around the elegant fingers, stopping its inspection. "What are you planning?"

"Nothing." Kaito smiled conspiratorially, it was not something to involve the detective yet. Though Kaito is considering whether or not to put the Kudo parents on his list of revenge.

There was a moment when Shinichi keenly observed each facial twitch of Kaito's before finally giving the magician's forehead a painful flick and stated firmly "No."

"Wha-?! But...but…" It was quite telling that Shinichi had figured out Kaito's plan for revenge.

"No Kaito. Don't even think about going after my parents. They'll just return the _favour_ thrice fold if we lucky. Normally, it's a ten-fold strike back. For our own sanity's sake, no."

"Oh alright. But at least I can do what I want with my mother…"

"As long as it does not involve me. I _Know_ who your mother is and her methods. I don't want to become a victim." After several moments of silence Shinichi added, "and why would you want to do that anyways? She's helped…"

"It's the principal of things. She caused me mental strife so I'm only trying to even out the score. It's the Kuroba way."

"Does that mean I should get my own revenge on the mental strife you caused me?" Shinichi turned from his seat with a playful and evil glint in his eyes. "You've caused me much mental pain you know." He crawled so Kaito had no choice but to fall flat on his back onto the tatami floor. Shinichi used this sudden change in position to box Kaito in and with his own weight, he confined Kaito to the point that it would be difficult for the magician to dislodge Shinichi to escape.

"Um...No? You really shouldn't do that?" Kaito gulped, possibly now extremely scared at what the detective had thought up as a revenge. "Um...I'm sorry?" He tries to apologise but the evil glint only became more prominent in the pair of sapphire eyes.

"Worded apologies mean very little you know." A hand was placed onto Kaito's hips and he immediately began to squirm at the itch on his skin. "After all, I should receive adequate compensation."

Fingers ran along the ticklish skin, earning more squirming from the magician. Kaito was definitely trying to escape and valiantly failing at the attempt.

"Ahahaha Meitantei...ahahahahahahaha." He laughed, volume increasing as time passed. Shinichi did not relent in his tickling, especially seeing as he now found the magician's weak spot.

Shinichi let his fingers trail up Kaito's sides, and by this time Kaito was spluttering and barely making any sense.

"Ahahahahaha, Shinichi-sama I yield, I yield." By the time Shinichi was attacking the magician's armpits, Kaito was struggling for air.

"No more! No more!" Kaito's struggle seemed more sluggish and weak. Shinichi stopped his attacks to let the magician regain his breath. However, Kaito only stayed still trapped underneath Shinichi. Too still in fact.

"Kaito?" Shinichi was worried and he leaned in to check, only to be overthrown by the magician. Kaito trapped Shinichi's hands above his head and straddled the detective, a dangerous move seeing as a kick from Shinichi could easily render Kaito incapacitated and in extreme pain.

"Now then, whatever should I do?" The smile on Kaito's face was downright demonic. "Turnabout's fair play."

"Too bad, I'm not ticklish." Shinichi felt secure in the knowledge that no amount of tickling can have him yield to the magician.

"Well, then I'll just have to think about something else to have surrender to me."

 **-END-**


	33. Giving it a spin

**Study in Romance**

Disclaimer: The works of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito belongs to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.

Warning: KaiShin relationship.

A/N: OK, final one. Head out of gutter please.

* * *

 **Omake (2): Giving it a spin**

Shinichi had no idea why but both himself and Kaito were tiptoeing through the front door on sock cladded feet. They were aiming for the upstairs bedroom, Shinichi's bedroom, where the pair could actually sit down and talk things over. But before they even took the first step, the pair women that were their mother stood at the closest doorway with a pair of knowing grins.

"Oh my, just where have the two of you been?" Yukiko stalked over to the boys. "And is that a mark I see underneath your collar Shin-chan?" She leaned in close to inspect the dark red patch of skin at the junction between the neck and the jaw.

Shinichi's hands quickly reached up to cover the mark but it was clear both women had seen it.

Kaito, on the other hand, noticed a rather familiar scent in the air. His eyes glanced about to pinpoint the location, only for his noise to lead his eyes to Yukiko's neck. He raised an eyebrow and glanced between the mother and son. Shinichi, somehow sensing something was not right, decided a quick escape was in order and tugged Kaito forcibly up the stair.

"Don't get too loud you two! Think of the neighbours!" Chikage teased.

The pair of woman giggled before they added with a shout up the stairs, "we'll be going out now, you'll have the house all to yourselves!"

"'Kaa-san!" The two shouted at the same time.

Reaching the bedroom, Shinichi opened the door and was about to invite Kaito in only for the magician to have disappeared.

"Kaito?" He looked inside his own room, just in case the magician decided to pull a surprise attack on Shinichi. Moments later, Kaito appeared back in the doorway with two bottles in hand.

"You know, I think I remember these." He held them up to eye level. "Did you know how painful it was to stand next to Irie Shiina and help her pick out a scent?"

"Why would it be painful?" Shinichi could not understand how smelling things could be painful. As far as he knew, the day only ended up with a lot of sneezes on both parts. "I mean it was a lot of scents and we did walk a lot around the shopping center, unless you hurt your foot that day?"

"No, no." Kaito sighed, not believing how dense the detective was. "However, you still have yet to compensate me for my effort."

"Compensate? Why?"

"Let's see…" In the blink of an eye, Kaito was immediately in front of Shinichi, the perfume bottle held at just the right position to apply it onto Shinichi's pulse point.

"What the?! Kaito! That's my mother's!" Shinichi struggled, it was sweet for his taste and entirely too floral. "And it's a female perfume!"

"Hm...but it smells good on you." Kaito nuzzled the neck, it was so tempting to deepen the same mark to make it everlasting. "I took the pains to help you find this delectable scent so the least you can do is wear it for me…?"

The slight pleading tone in the magician's voice was ultimately Shinichi's undoing and let Kaito push him into his own bedroom.

 **-END-**


End file.
